CAF reverses four-year AFCON plan and confirms editions through 2033

The Africa Cup of Nations will return to a two-year cycle after the Confederation of African Football reversed its plan to stage the tournament every four years. BBC Sport reported the change on Friday, following a review of the decision announced in December. The reversal restores the competition’s traditional frequency, although the announced sequence includes an interruption around the 2030 World Cup.

CAF confirmed in a statement dated October 29 that its executive committee had voted unanimously for the change. President Patrice Motsepe had signalled the reconsideration during the governing body’s strategy conference in Cabo Verde from October 7 to 9. The committee has now replaced the four-year policy adopted last year with a return to more frequent AFCON tournaments.

The financial timetable for a proposed Africa Nations League was a factor in the review. According to BBC Sport, that competition had been intended to replace AFCON as the biennial tournament, but CAF acknowledged it would need several years to generate enough revenue to become self-sufficient. The review therefore concerned the replacement competition’s ability to support African football, not simply its place in the calendar.

In CAF’s statement, Motsepe said the decision reflected the interests of African football, its 54 member associations and African players employed by clubs outside the continent. He also cited the time needed for the proposed Nations League to deliver substantial funding and football-development benefits. The statement did not announce a launch date for that proposed competition.

The next AFCON remains scheduled for 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda sharing hosting duties. BBC Sport reported that subsequent editions will be held in 2028, 2031 and 2033. Those dates mean consecutive tournaments in 2027 and 2028, followed by a three-year gap before the 2031 edition.

There will be no AFCON in 2030 because of the World Cup. Motsepe attributed that arrangement to the convention against holding confederation national-team finals in a World Cup year. The return to a two-year policy therefore does not mean an uninterrupted two-year interval across the entire schedule CAF has announced.