The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee (EXCO) has unanimously decided that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will return to taking place every two years.
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe made this announcement on Friday, October 30 at the CAF Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde which was held from 7-9 October 2026.
According to Motsepe, the CAF EXCO would be re-assessing and reconsidering the decision it took in December 2025, for the AFCON to take place every four years.
He further revealed that this reassessment and reconsideration was necessitated by, amongst other matters, the recognition that the proposed new Africa Nations League Pan-African Competition which was supposed to replace the current AFCON and take place every two years, would require several years in order to be in a position to contribute the substantial financial resources necessary, for the CAF Competitions and African Football to be globally competitive and self-supporting.
“The decision by the CAF EXCO that the CAF AFCON should take place every Two Years was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations, as well as the interest of African players employed by Football Clubs outside Africa,” Motsepe said. “We were also concerned by the several years required before the proposed new Africa Nations League Pan-African competition, (which was supposed to be identical to the current AFCON and take place Every Two Years), could make the substantial financial and football development contributions for African Football and CAF competitions to be globally competitive and self-supporting.”
The next TotalEnergies AFCON tournament will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with Motsepe confident that it will be “very successful”.
With the current development, the subsequent AFCONs, after the 2027 one, will take place in 2028, 2031 and 2033.
The forthcoming FIFA World Cup will take place in 2030 and in accordance with the FIFA tradition, the final tournament of the AFCON and other Confederations National Teams competitions may not take place during the year of the FIFA World Cup.
“The AFCON competition is also about celebrating African Football and Africa’s rich and diverse cultures, customs and traditions and bringing people together from Africa’s 54 Countries, the African Diaspora and throughout the world.”
According to Motsepe, the CAF EXCO decision is in the best interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations, and will also contribute significantly to the development and growth of football in Africa.
