President of Africa’s football governing body (CAF), Patrice Motsepe has announced that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) won’t be held biannually in the near future.
The premier competition on the African continent has been held after every two years since 1968 but Patrice Motsepe announced that beyond 2028, the competition will be held after every four years.
His announcement comes just hours to the start of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco that commences on Sunday, December 21 with Cote D’Ivoire as the defending champions.
In his statement according to the BBC, the 2027 and 2028 AFCON will be held in back to back years before the new hosting cycle kicks in.
He added that the changes were to synchronize the continent’s calendar with the rest of the world with the prize money for winning the 2025 AFCON set at $10 million; the 2023 AFCON winner bagged $7 million in prize money.
“We have the most exciting new structure for African football. I do what is in the interests of Africa. The global calendar has to be significantly more synchronised and harmonized” Motsepe said according to the BBC.
Another change to the African football calendar is the introduction of an African Nations League starting in 2029.
