CAF considering return to AFCON every two years – Motsepe

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is considering a return to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) being held every two years, months after announcing plans to switch the tournament to a four-year cycle.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe disclosed this on Friday at the organisation’s Strategy Conference in Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cape Verde, saying the governing body had reviewed the competition’s future in recent discussions.

“We are looking at everything, including having the AFCON come back every two years. We are very clear: the matter is being reviewed,” Motsepe said.

His remarks suggest that CAF could reconsider the planned change, although he did not announce a decision to reverse it or provide a timeline for the review.

AFCON has traditionally been held every two years since 1968, apart from a one-year gap between the 2012 and 2013 editions.

In December 2025, CAF announced plans to move the tournament to a four-year cycle after the 2028 edition, following the 2027 tournament scheduled to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The restructuring also included plans to introduce an African Nations League from 2029 as part of efforts to reorganise the continent’s national team competitions.

The proposed four-year cycle, however, attracted criticism from stakeholders who raised concerns about the tournament’s visibility, commercial implications and place in the international football calendar.

ALSO READ: ‘Deficiencies’ from 2025 AFCON final addressed — Motsepe

During Friday’s address, Motsepe also rejected suggestions that CAF made decisions to satisfy European football authorities, insisting that the organisation’s priority was to protect African football’s interests.

“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.

Motsepe acknowledged that CAF sometimes disagreed with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), but stressed the importance of cooperation, given that many African players feature for European clubs.

“Our job is to look after the interests of Africa,” he said, adding that his responsibility was to “protect, promote and advance the interests of Africa”.

He said CAF would continue engaging with football authorities in Europe, the United States and China while standing firm when necessary to defend the continent’s interests.

Motsepe did not specify when CAF would conclude its review of AFCON’s format or whether it would lead to a formal change in the competition calendar.