CAIRO (The Thursday Times) — The Africa Cup of Nations will go back to being held every two years after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reversed its decision to switch the tournament to a four-year cycle.
CAF announced last December that Afcon would be played every four years, with a new African Nations League taking its place as the continent’s biennial competition. After a review, the governing body acknowledged that the Nations League would need several years to generate enough revenue to stand on its own.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the executive committee’s decision to reinstate a two-year cycle was meant to “advance, protect and promote the interests of African football” and its 54 member associations, as well as African players at clubs outside the continent.
The next Afcon will be held in 2027, co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, followed by editions in 2028, 2031 and 2033. There will be no tournament in 2030 because of the World Cup.
The biennial schedule has long caused friction with European clubs, since most recent tournaments have been played in the middle of the club season. The last edition ended in controversy when Senegal, crowned champions on the night of the final, were stripped of the title three months later in favour of hosts Morocco.
