CAF scraps the four-year AFCON plan: the Africa Cup of Nations returns to every two years
The Confederation of African Football's Executive Committee has unanimously decided that the Africa Cup of Nations will return to taking place every two years, CAF itself announced in a statement on Thursday 29 October 2026, read directly in this run. The decision reverses last year's move to a four-year cycle. CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the next AFCON will be in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with subsequent editions in 2028, 2031 and 2033 — there is no 2030 edition because, in accordance with FIFA tradition, the final tournament may not take place in a FIFA World Cup year. CAF said the reassessment was driven by the recognition that the proposed new Africa Nations League, which was supposed to replace AFCON on a two-year cycle, would need several years before it could contribute the substantial financial resources African football needs.
Key points
- CAF's Executive Committee unanimously decided on Thursday 29 October 2026 that AFCON returns to every two years — CAF's own statement, read directly in this run, reversing last year's four-year plan.
- Edition years confirmed by CAF: 2027 (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), then 2028, 2031 and 2033.
- No 2030 edition: CAF cites the FIFA tradition that confederation final tournaments may not take place in a World Cup year, and the next World Cup is in 2030.
- CAF's stated reason: the proposed Africa Nations League that was to replace AFCON would need several years before it could contribute the substantial financial resources African football needs.
What happened
AFCON has run on a two-year cycle since 1968, with the back-to-back 2012 and 2013 editions the notable exception in the reporting read for this brief. In December 2025, on the eve of the 2025 tournament in Morocco, Motsepe announced AFCON would move to a four-year cycle after the 2028 edition, with a new annual/biennial African Nations League intended to fill the calendar and the revenue gap.
The reversal was foreshadowed at CAF's Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde on 7–9 October 2026, where Motsepe said EXCO would re-assess the four-year decision — and, per reporting of that conference, member associations were consulted on whether AFCON should stay biennial. Thursday's EXCO decision settles the question in favour of the traditional cycle.
Match facts — all verified
- ✓ VerifiedCAF's Executive Committee (EXCO) has unanimously decided that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will return to taking place every two years, reversing the move to a four-year cycle announced last year.CAF — CAF decides to return to the AFCON taking place every two years (29 Oct 2026) · Kawowo — CAF reverts to biennial format for Africa Cup of Nations (30 Oct 2026) · GhanaSoccerNet — CAF reverses AFCON four-year cycle decision, returns to biennial tournament (30 Oct 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedThe next AFCON will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and the subsequent editions will be in 2028, 2031 and 2033. There is no 2030 edition: CAF says that, in accordance with FIFA tradition, the AFCON final tournament and other confederation national-team competitions may not take place in the year of a FIFA World Cup, and the next World Cup is in 2030.CAF — CAF decides to return to the AFCON taking place every two years (29 Oct 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedCAF says the reassessment was necessitated, among other matters, by the recognition that the proposed new Africa Nations League — which was supposed to replace the current AFCON and take place every two years — would require several years before it could contribute the substantial financial resources necessary for CAF competitions and African football to be globally competitive and self-supporting. Motsepe said the two-year decision was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interests of African football, CAF's 54 Member Associations, and African players employed by football clubs outside Africa.CAF — CAF decides to return to the AFCON taking place every two years (29 Oct 2026) · NewsCentral TV — CAF Drops Plan to Hold AFCON Every Four Years (30 Oct 2026)