The Confederation of African Football has announced a major shake-up to the Africa Cup of Nations, revealing that the tournament will now be held every four years instead of every two. The surprise decision was taken at CAF’s executive committee meeting in Rabat, Morocco, and confirmed at a press conference by CAF President Patrice Motsepe.

Since its inception in 1957, AFCON has traditionally been staged biennially and has remained CAF’s biggest financial driver, accounting for an estimated 80% of the body’s revenue. Despite the change, Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 tournament scheduled for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will proceed as planned, followed by another edition in 2028, after which the new four-year cycle will officially take effect.

To bridge the gap between tournaments, CAF will introduce an annual African Nations League from 2029, mirroring Europe’s model. Motsepe said the new structure would guarantee steady yearly revenue, improve alignment with the FIFA calendar, and strengthen CAF’s long-term financial independence as African football enters a new era.

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