The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially agreed to move the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to a four-year cycle, with the new format set to take effect from 2028, CAF second vice president Kurt Okraku has revealed.
Speaking to Metro TV, Okraku disclosed that the decision was reached unanimously by CAF’s Executive Council following extensive consultations and deliberations ahead of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
According to the Ghana FA president, the move was largely influenced by commercial considerations and the welfare of players, while also addressing long-standing scheduling conflicts with major football calendars, particularly in Europe.
“We unanimously agreed to switch to a four-year AFCON cycle. The decision was driven by commercial considerations and the need to schedule the competition at a time that will not be worrying to the main actors, the players. We also wanted to end clashes with our counterparts from other continents, especially Europe,” Okraku stated.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe had earlier announced that the current two-year cycle will end after the 2027 edition, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The competition will then transition to a four-year schedule beginning in 2028.
The decision has generated mixed reactions across the football landscape, with some pundits and fans criticising CAF for what they describe as yielding to European pressure over the tournament’s timing.
AFCON has traditionally been staged every two years since 1968, apart from a rare one-year gap between the 2012 and 2013 editions. However, recent tournaments have been plagued by scheduling challenges, with several editions postponed due to infrastructure delays and climatic concerns.
The 2021 AFCON was played in 2022 after Cameroon struggled to meet hosting deadlines, while the 2023 edition was shifted to early 2024 for similar reasons. CAF’s earlier attempt to move the tournament to the June–July window only succeeded once, with the 2019 edition in Egypt, where extreme heat impacted player performances.
Beyond the calendar change, Motsepe has also announced plans to introduce an African Nations League, expected to commence in 2029 and be held annually.
The most recent AFCON, Morocco 2025, saw Senegal clinch the title after defeating the host nation in the final, securing their second continental crown. Morocco’s hopes of ending a 50-year trophy drought on home soil were dashed by the resilient Teranga Lions.
In the third-place playoff, Nigeria’s Super Eagles overcame Egypt to claim the bronze medal at the tournament.
