Afcon move to every four years under review by Caf

The Confederation of African Football is actively reconsidering its decision to transition the Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle, raising the prospect that the continent's flagship tournament will retain its traditional biennial schedule.

Speaking on Friday during an executive strategy gathering hosted in Cape Verde, CAF president Patrice Motsepe confirmed that leadership has been re-evaluating the scheduling debate in recent days. Motsepe stated that officials are examining all options, explicitly including the continuation of the competition on a two-year basis, noting that the topic remains under active review.

The potential reversal follows substantial backlash against a scheduling reform revealed late last year. In December 2025, the continental governing body outlined intentions to stagger the tournament every four years, an arrangement designed to take effect following the 2027 event in East Africa and an additional tournament penciled in for 2028.

That proposed restructuring generated pushback across the African football landscape. Numerous member federations raised sharp objections, warning that less frequent tournaments would damage the global visibility of national squads. Officials and stakeholders also voiced alarm over the commercial and financial fallout of cutting the tournament's frequency, as well as broader uncertainties regarding where the showcase would fit into an increasingly crowded international football calendar.

Historically, the Africa Cup of Nations has maintained a steady rhythm, taking place every two years consistently since 1968. The sole disruption to that pattern occurred between 2012 and 2013, when CAF staged consecutive tournaments in back-to-back years to shift the event from even to odd-numbered years.

With discussions ongoing among continental football leaders, CAF has yet to announce an official timeline for a final decision on whether the tournament will officially retain its longstanding biennial format.