The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has opened the door to reversing its controversial decision to host the Africa Cup of Nations once every four years, exploring a return to the traditional biennial format.
Patrice Motsepe, President of CAF, revealed that the future of the continental flagship tournament remains under review within the organization, despite just a few months passing since announcing the format shift and launching commercial and sporting plans built around a four-year cycle.
Speaking to South African broadcaster SABC Sport, Motsepe confirmed that CAF is actively considering re-establishing the AFCON every two years, though he emphasized that the proposal has not been finalized and requires further discussions before an official decision is reached.
The potential U-turn appears striking given that Motsepe had announced in December 2025—ahead of the AFCON in Morocco—that the tournament would shift to a four-year cycle starting with the 2028 edition. He justified the initial decision by citing the need to shield African players from club-versus-country friction with European sides while maximizing commercial revenue.
At the time, Motsepe stated: “We will generate more money under the new system compared to hosting the AFCON every two years,” adding: “Every year we will have a competition in Africa involving all 54 member associations and the top African players based in Europe and around the world.”
CAF’s original roadmap entailed staging the AFCON in 2027, followed by a special edition in 2028, before fully transitioning to a quadrennial cycle with editions in 2032 and 2036. This plan included launching an annual African Nations League in 2029 to compensate for the continental tournament’s absence—meaning a return to the biennial system would necessitate a complete overhaul of the continental calendar.
The upcoming edition of the Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027, bringing the competition back to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted in 1976. Motsepe has repeatedly reiterated that the tournament will proceed as scheduled despite ongoing concerns regarding stadium preparations and infrastructure readiness.
Meanwhile, the subsequent edition remains slated for 2028 under the current schedule, though the host nation has yet to be finalized after CAF opened bidding for the 2028, 2032, and 2036 editions. Reverting to a two-year cycle will inevitably raise fresh questions over whether to retain the 2028 tournament immediately following the 2027 edition or shift it to 2029, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding one of African football’s most pivotal decisions.
