CAF Reverses Four‑Year Afcon Plan, Keeps Biennial Schedule
After a surprise announcement to move the Africa Cup of Nations to a four‑year cycle, CAF has back‑tracked and will retain its traditional two‑year rhythm.
CAF has scrapped its plan to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years and will keep the tournament on its historic biennial schedule, CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced following a strategy conference in Cape Verde.
The reversal comes less than a year after Motsepe revealed that, starting in 2028, the competition would shift to a four‑year cycle. He had framed the change as a means to make the global football calendar “significantly more synchronised and harmonised.”
Critics argued the timing favored FIFA’s interests over those of African football. At the time of the original announcement, FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafström sat beside Motsepe, underscoring the perceived alignment with the world governing body.
Football Association of Zambia official Sydney Mungala told the BBC that “the general sentiment around the continent has been that the two‑year cycle has served the continent very well,” adding that the proposed four‑year shift “was a bit of a surprise, maybe a concern, to the bulk of the African federations.”
Afcon has traditionally been staged every two years since its inaugural edition in 1957, with only a few three‑year gaps in the 1960s and a one‑year gap between the 2012 and 2013 tournaments.
Motsepe said the decision to retain the biennial format is driven by “advancing, protecting and promoting” the interests of the African game, though he did not detail the specific process that led to the U‑turn.
Financially, the tournament remains CAF’s biggest revenue source, with a profit of $114 million (£85 million) forecast for Afcon 2025, up from $75 million (£56 million) for the previous finals in Ivory Coast.
With the schedule back on its familiar two‑year rhythm, the continent’s football calendar will continue to intersect with the European club season, a factor that has historically sparked disputes over player release.
Stakeholders will now watch how the restored biennial cadence impacts both the sport’s commercial prospects and the ongoing dialogue with FIFA over scheduling.
