The Confederation of African Football has reversed its decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, restoring the tournament’s two-year cycle after a unanimous executive committee vote.
CAF announced the decision on Thursday, 29 October. President Patrice Motsepe said the reversal reflected the interests of African football, its 54 member associations and players employed by clubs outside the continent.
The governing body said its proposed Africa Nations League would need several years to generate the financial resources required to support CAF competitions. That assessment contributed to reconsideration of the four-year plan.
Motsepe had announced a review during CAF’s strategy conference in Cabo Verde earlier in October.
CAF confirmed that Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will host the next AFCON in 2027. Its statement lists subsequent editions in 2028, 2031 and 2033, leaving a three-year interval around the 2030 World Cup despite the restored two-year policy.
AFCON has traditionally taken place every two years. Thursday’s announcement reverses the four-year plan announced last December.
Archive photograph: Yaya Toure with the trophy, 8 February 2015. Ben Sutherland / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Existing cropped derivative.
