Uganda Cranes attacker Allan Okello in action (Photo/Courtesy)
David GOMBE
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided that the Africa Cup of Nations will return to taking place every two years.
The development was announced at the Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, which unanimously voted on the matter.
“The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Executive Committee (EXCO) today unanimously decided that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will return to taking place every Two Years,” reads a statement on the CAF website.
On the eve of the 2025 AFCON, CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe had revealed that Africa’s continental showpiece would take place every four years, but now the event will be held every two years.
Motsepe stated that the CAF EXCO decided to revert to two years and also remains confident the 2027 AFCON to be staged in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will be successful.
“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 CAF AFCON will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and I am confident that it will be very successful. The subsequent AFCONs thereafter 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. 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,” he added.