The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed its decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, confirming that the tournament will return to a two-year cycle.
The decision was unanimously approved by the CAF Executive Committee (EXCO), following a reassessment announced by CAF President Patrice Motsepe at the organisation’s Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde from October 7 to 9, 2026.
CAF had previously planned to move AFCON to a four-year cycle, with a proposed Africa Nations League competition taking place every two years to fill the gap.
However, the governing body said the new competition would require several years to generate the substantial financial resources needed to support CAF competitions and make African football globally competitive and self-sustaining.
