FRI OCT 30 2026-theGBJournal| The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously decided on Thursday that the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) will once again be held every two years.
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe announced at the CAF Strategic Conference held in Cape Verde from October 7 to 9, 2026, that the Executive Committee would review the decision taken last year to move the AFCON to a four-year cycle.
This review was motivated in particular by the observation that the proposed new pan-African competition, the Nations League, intended to replace the current AFCON and to be played every two years, would require several years before it could generate the substantial financial resources necessary to allow CAF competitions and African football to be globally competitive and financially self-sufficient.
The CAF president, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, stated “The decision by the CAF Executive Committee to reinstate the organization of the AFCON every two years aims to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football and the 54 CAF Member Associations, as well as those of African players playing for clubs outside the continent.
We were also concerned about the number of years it would take for the proposed new pan-African competition, the Nations League, designed to be identical to the current AFCON and to be played every two years, to provide the substantial financial contributions and benefits needed for the development of African football, in order to make CAF competitions globally competitive and financially self-sustaining.
The next edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, and I am confident it will be a great success. Subsequent editions will be held in 2028, 2031, and 2033.
The next FIFA World Cup will take place in 2030. In accordance with FIFA tradition, the final phase of the AFCON and those of other national team competitions of the confederations may not be held during the year of the FIFA World Cup.
The Africa Cup of Nations is also a celebration of African football, the richness and diversity of our continent’s cultures, customs, and traditions. It brings together the people of the 54 African countries , the African diaspora, and people from all over the world.
The CAF Executive Committee’s decision best serves the interests of African football and the 54 CAF Member Associations. It will also contribute significantly to the development and growth of football in Africa.
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