AFCON to Hold Every Four Years from 2028 as CAF Announces African Nations League

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be held every four years starting from 2028.

Patrice Motsepe, president of CAF, disclosed the decision on Saturday in Morocco after a meeting of the organisation’s executive committee, on the eve of the opening match of the 2025 AFCON.

Motsepe said the new four-year cycle will take effect after the 2027 and 2028 editions of the tournament, meaning the next AFCON under the revised format will be staged in 2032.

He added that the competition will be aligned with the European Championships and played in the same year as part of efforts to harmonise Africa’s football calendar with the global schedule.

AFCON has been staged every two years since 1968, a format that has often drawn criticism from European clubs reluctant to release players during the peak of their domestic seasons.

Although the idea of extending AFCON to a four-year cycle was previously proposed by FIFA and rejected by CAF, Motsepe said the change is now in the best interest of African football.

“We have the most exciting new structure for African football,” Motsepe said.
“The global football calendar has to be significantly more synchronised and harmonised, and this decision serves the interests of Africa.”

The CAF president also announced the introduction of an African Nations League, scheduled to commence in 2029.

According to him, the new competition will provide an additional and sustainable revenue stream for CAF, reducing the organisation’s dependence on AFCON as its primary source of income.

“Historically, the Nations Cup was the prime source of revenue for CAF,” Motsepe said.
“Now, we will generate financial resources every year. Every year, the best African players in Europe will return to the continent to compete.”

Motsepe added that the Nations League will involve all 54 CAF member associations and deliver a top-level continental competition annually.

CAF also approved an increase in prize money for the AFCON winners, raising it from $7 million to $10 million.