Afcon to return to two-year cycle after Caf u-turn

The African Cup of Nations (Afcon) will return to its traditional two-year cycle after a U-turn from the Confederation of African Football (Caf).

In December, Caf announced that the tournament would be held every four years instead, but that decision has been reversed after a review.

Under the new plans, the governing body was planning an African Nations League to replace Afcon as its biennial tournament, but acknowledged that it would take several years to generate the revenue required to become self-sufficient.

“The decision by the Executive Committee to reinstate the organisation of the Afcon every two years aims to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football and the 54 Caf Member Associations, as well as those of African players playing for clubs outside the continent,” Caf president Patrice Motsepe said in a statement.

The biennial hosting of Afcon has long caused issues with the football calendar, with the vast majority of recent tournaments held midway through the European club season.

Fifa’s expanded 32-team Club World Cup was held in June and July this year, which also forced Caf to opt for mid-season dates.

The next Afcon will take place in 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda jointly hosting the tournament, followed by editions in 2028, 2031 and 2033. There will be no tournament in 2030 because of the World Cup.

The dramatic 2025 Afcon final saw Senegal crowned champions before they were stripped of their title three months later in favour of Morocco.