The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be staged every four years after the 2028 tournament, marking a major change to the continent’s flagship football competition.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe made the announcement at a press conference in Morocco following a meeting of the organisation’s executive committee.
Under the new format, the four-year cycle will begin after the 2027 and 2028 editions, meaning the first tournament under the new schedule will take place in 2032. CAF said the competition will also be aligned with the European Championship and held in the same year.
AFCON has traditionally been held every two years since 1968, a schedule that has often brought it into conflict with European club competitions, with clubs reluctant to release players mid-season.
Mr Motsepe said the change would help align African football more closely with the global football calendar.
“We have the most exciting new structure for African football,” he said. “The global calendar has to be more synchronised and harmonised.”
CAF also announced plans to launch an African Nations League in 2029. Mr Motsepe said the new competition would provide an additional and more consistent source of revenue for African football, alongside AFCON, which remains CAF’s biggest financial driver.
“Every year, the best African players competing in Europe will return to the continent to play,” he said, adding that the Nations League would feature all 54 African nations and deliver a “world-class competition” annually.
In addition, CAF said the prize money for the AFCON winners has been increased from $7m to $10m, as part of efforts to strengthen the commercial value and sustainability of African football.