AFCON to switch to four-year cycle from 2028 as CAF unveils African Nations League

Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has confirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations will move to a four-year cycle from 2028.

The announcement was made on Saturday, on the eve of the 2025 tournament in Morocco. AFCON has been staged every two years since 1968, with the only exception being a one-year gap between the 2012 and 2013 editions.

The current format will conclude with the 2027 tournament in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, after which the competition will transition to a four-year schedule starting in 2028. Motsepe also revealed plans to introduce an African Nations League, which is expected to be held annually from 2029.

“We have the most exciting new structure for African football,” Motsepe said.

Morocco and Comoros will open the 2025 edition on Sunday, with the curtain-raiser set to take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Motsepe, as has become customary, addressed the media ahead of kickoff, touching on several key issues before making the announcement, a decision that is certain to divide opinion.

AFCON is widely regarded as the continent’s flagship sporting event, and the shift in format may be viewed by some as a response to pressure from European clubs, which have often raised concerns about the tournament’s timing. For this edition, clubs were permitted to retain their players until December 15, just a week before the competition begins on December 21.

The scheduling of AFCON has been a recurring challenge in recent years. The last three editions were rescheduled, with the 2021 tournament played in 2022 due to infrastructure delays in Cameroon, and the 2023 edition moved to early 2024 for similar reasons.

CAF had previously attempted to shift the tournament from its traditional January to February window to June and July, but only the 2019 edition in Egypt was held during that period, with extreme heat affecting performances.

Tournaments in West Africa have also struggled with a June to July slot because of heavy rainfall and the risk of flooding. The Morocco 2025 tournament was initially planned for June and July, but the expansion of FIFA’s Club World Cup to 32 teams, scheduled for the same period, forced a change. As a result, the competition will now be played between 21 December 2025 and 18 January 2026.

By Enoch Fiifi Forson / Rabat, Morocco

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