Patrice Motsepe explains CAF decision to restore AFCON two-year cycle

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Dr Patrice Motsepe has explained the reasons behind the decision to restore the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to its traditional two-year cycle, insisting the move is in the best interests of African football.

CAF's Executive Committee (EXCO) unanimously agreed to reverse its earlier decision to stage the continental showpiece every four years, with Motsepe saying the interests of African football, its 54 member associations and players competing outside the continent were central to the decision.

The CAF president explained that the governing body was concerned about the potential impact of the proposed four-year cycle on the development and commercial sustainability of African football.

According to Motsepe, the proposed Africa Nations League, which was expected to take place every two years and serve as a replacement for the AFCON in the intervening periods, would take several years to make a meaningful contribution to the continent's football development and finances.

"The decision by the CAF EXCO that the CAF AFCON should take place every two years was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interests of African football and CAF's 54 Member Associations, as well as the interests of African players employed by football clubs outside Africa," Motsepe said.

"We were also concerned by the several years required before the proposed new Africa Nations League Pan-African competition, which was supposed to be identical to the current AFCON and take place every two years, could make substantial financial and football development contributions to African football and make CAF competitions globally competitive and self-supporting."

The decision means the tournament will continue to be staged every two years, beginning with the 2027 edition, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Motsepe expressed confidence in the three East African countries' ability to deliver a successful tournament, describing the 2027 competition as the next major event on CAF's international calendar.

"The next TotalEnergies CAF AFCON will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and I am confident that it will be very successful," he added.

He also outlined the proposed schedule for subsequent editions, confirming that the tournaments will take place in 2028, 2031 and 2033.

The adjusted calendar takes into consideration the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with Motsepe explaining that AFCON and other continental national team competitions are not expected to be staged during the year of the global tournament.

"The forthcoming FIFA World Cup will take place in 2030 and, in accordance with FIFA tradition, the final tournament of AFCON and other Confederations' national team competitions may not take place during the year of the FIFA World Cup," he said.

CAF's decision marks a significant shift from its earlier plan to move the AFCON from a two-year to a four-year cycle as part of broader efforts to restructure the international football calendar and strengthen the commercial appeal of African competitions.

Beyond its sporting and financial importance, Motsepe also stressed that the AFCON remains a major platform for celebrating the continent's cultural diversity and bringing Africans together.

He said the competition goes beyond football, providing an opportunity to showcase Africa's customs, traditions and identity to a global audience.

"The AFCON competition is also about celebrating African football and Africa's rich and diverse cultures, customs and traditions, and bringing people together from Africa's 54 countries, the African Diaspora and throughout the world," he said.

Motsepe maintained that restoring the two-year cycle would support the development of the game across the continent and strengthen CAF's member associations.

"The CAF EXCO decision is in the best interest of African football and CAF's 54 Member Associations and will also contribute significantly to the development and growth of football in Africa," he concluded.