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The Africa Cup of Nations may not be done changing pace. Less than a year after approving a move to a four-year cycle from 2028, CAF is bringing back the possibility of returning to an AFCON every two years. Nothing has been decided, but the mere fact that Patrice Motsepe is openly acknowledging it is enough to reignite a burning issue for national teams, clubs and supporters.
A shift still under discussion
The CAF president indicated that the governing body was once again examining the idea of an Africa Cup played every two years.
The CAF president indicated that the governing body was once again examining the idea of an Africa Cup played every two years. The current calendar was nevertheless supposed to establish a different pattern: the 2027 edition in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, followed by a 2028 edition, before entering a four-year cycle. This choice had been presented as a way to bring AFCON more in line with major European or South American continental competitions.
The distinction is important: CAF is not yet talking about an approved return. The matter remains under review and should be submitted to the internal decision-making bodies, particularly the executive committee. But the potential reversal is already significant. It shows that the compromise envisioned at the end of 2025 did not fully convince either the federations or those around the national teams.
Why the schedule matters so much
The frequency of AFCON is not simply a scheduling detail. Every two years, the tournament maintains a strong presence in the continent’s sporting life. It fuels rivalries, offers African players a regular showcase and guarantees federations a major competition to market, organize and prepare for. Every four years, the event becomes rarer, but loses some of that familiar rhythm.
The debate also affects European clubs, which are often frustrated by mid-season absences when the competition is played in winter. CAF has tried several times to stabilize the tournament in the summer, without achieving lasting success, amid climate constraints, FIFA calendars and competition congestion. In this mechanism, each change in frequency shifts the problem rather than making it disappear.
An economic and sporting equation
The four-year project did not stand alone. CAF had also considered an African Nations League from 2029, in order to maintain regular fixtures for national teams. Returning to a biennial AFCON would therefore require this structure to be reconsidered. The role of this new competition, the available international windows and the financial weight of each product would all need to be clarified.
From a sporting perspective, the stakes are just as clear. A frequent AFCON gives short-lived generations, emerging nations and players whose international careers can change course over a few seasons more opportunities. A tournament held further apart strengthens the prestige of each edition, but makes a missed opportunity far more costly. For countries still building their depth, waiting four years can quickly feel like an eternity.
The African calendar remains under pressure
The next certainty remains the 2027 edition in East Africa, scheduled as a major event for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Around it, CAF must now avoid creating the impression of a calendar shifting with the pressures of the moment. The continent needs a clear framework, especially as club competitions, World Cup qualifiers and new international tournaments continue to pile up.
The final decision will say a great deal about CAF’s true priority: making its flagship tournament less frequent so that it is more comparable to other major continental championships, or preserving a biennial tradition that is part of the identity of African football. In either case, the message will need to be clear. National teams can adapt to many things, but rarely to a calendar that changes faster than a scoreboard on an evening of extra time.