The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will retain its traditional two-year schedule after the Confederation of African Football (CAG) reversed its earlier decision to hold the competition every four years.
CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, announced the reversal on Thursday following the organisation’s Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde, held from October 7 to 9, 2026.
The decision was unanimously approved by the CAF Executive Committee, which concluded that the proposed Africa Nations League would take several years to deliver the financial and developmental benefits expected from the competition.
CAF had earlier proposed moving AFCON to a four-year cycle while introducing the Nations League as a biennial tournament.
However, Motsepe said retaining the existing AFCON format was in the interest of African football, the confederation’s 54 member associations and African players featuring for clubs outside the continent.
“The decision by the CAF EXCO that the CAF AFCON should take place every Two Years was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations, as well as the interest of African players employed by Football Clubs outside Africa,” he said.
He explained that the proposed Nations League was expected to mirror the AFCON format and take place every two years but would not provide the necessary financial resources and football development benefits in the immediate future.
Under the revised calendar, the 2027 AFCON will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, while subsequent editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033.
CAF maintained that the competition would not be staged in a FIFA World Cup year.
Motsepe expressed confidence in the ability of the three East African countries to successfully host the 2027 tournament.
He also described AFCON as more than a football competition, saying it provides an opportunity to showcase the continent’s cultural diversity and unite Africans across the world.
“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.
He added that the decision would contribute significantly to the development and growth of football across the continent.
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