CAF boss hints at AFCON returning to every two years

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has said the Confederation of African Football is thinking about bringing back the Africa Cup of Nations every two years. This comes a few months after announcing plans to change the tournament to a four-year cycle.

Motsepe shared this news on Friday during the CAF Strategy Conference in Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cape Verde. He mentioned that the governing body had looked into the future of the competition in recent talks.

"The AFCON, because this is one of the issues we’re talking about, we took a decision as Africa, because, and there were lots of issues, but I can guarantee you we have discussed it over the last few days to say we are looking at everything, including having the AFCON coming back every two years," he said.

The conference lasted from October 7 to 9. It brought together leaders of CAF’s 54 member associations, national team coaches, and other football stakeholders to discuss the growth of the game across Africa.

Motsepe’s comments suggest that CAF is reconsidering the tournament's format. But he did not confirm any decision to change the previously planned switch.

In December 2025, CAF declared that AFCON would go from its usual two-year cycle to a four-year schedule after the 2028 edition. This decision was part of a major restructuring of African national team competitions. It also included plans for an African Nations League starting in 2029.

These changes aimed to align African football more closely with the international calendar. They were also meant to provide a regular competition for senior national teams in Africa.

However, the four-year AFCON plan marked a big change from the tournament’s long-standing format. It sparked discussions about what this would mean for African football.

During his talk on Friday, Motsepe also dismissed claims that CAF makes decisions just to please European football authorities. He insisted that the organization's main job is to protect the interests of Africa.

"This nonsense, absolute rubbish, that CAF takes decisions because UEFA asks us, that it’s for the benefit of UEFA or the benefit of FIFA, absolute nonsense, absolute rubbish," he said.

He admitted that CAF sometimes disagreed with the Union of European Football Associations. But he stressed that cooperation is important since many African players play in Europe.

"Our job is to look after the interests of Africa," Motsepe said. He added that his duty was to "protect, promote and advance the interests of Africa."

He mentioned that CAF would keep working with football authorities in Europe, the United States, and China. But he would stand firm when necessary to defend African interests.

Motsepe did not provide a timeline for any decision about AFCON's format. He also did not explain if the review would lead to a formal change in the competition calendar.