TOURNAMENT RESET: Finances behind CAF’s decision to revert to biennial Afcon cycle

The dream of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) becoming a quadrennial competition like its other continental counterparts such as the European Championship and South America’s Copa America crashed and crumbled before it could even take off.This after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee vetoed the 2025 announcement that the Afcon would now take place every four years, as opposed to every two years. At the time CAF President Patrice Motsepe made the announcement, he had stated that Africa’s premier soccer competition would be replaced by the African Nations League, starting in 2029.Borrowing from the European Nations League concept which was conceived to reduce the number of dead-rubber international friendlies, it would have taken place biennially and during the years when there was no Afcon, with a final and trophy at the end of it all.CAF said this reassessment and reconsideration of Afcon’s frequency was necessitated by a number of matters. This included the recognition that the proposed Africa Nations League would require several years to be in a position to contribute the substantial financial resources necessary to keep African soccer “globally competitive and self-supporting”.CAF President Patrice Motsepe during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 January 2026. (Photo: Nokwanda Zondi / BackpagePix) “The decision by the CAF ExCo that the Afcon should [continue to] 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,” said Motsepe.“We were also concerned by the several years required before the proposed new Africa Nations League could make the substantial financial and football development contributions for African football and CAF competitions to be globally competitive and self-supporting,” the CAF president added.CAF 2027 uncertaintyIn the previous announcement of a quadrennial Afcon, CAF had said that a year after the 2027 edition another Afcon would be held. Then from then onwards, the four-year cycle would begin. Which would have effectively meant that the next edition would have taken place in 2032. Due to its shelving of the quadrennial plan, CAF now has to reassess its scheduling of the tournament.Despite some reports that even the 2027 edition may not take place as scheduled due to the hosts’ unreadiness, CAF is confident that its first Afcon to be co-hosted by three different countries will take place on time.It is set to take place between 19 June and 17 July, but some reports from around the continent have alleged that the three hosts’ infrastructure may not be ready to welcome the participating teams and their fans. CAF has pushed back against this reporting, saying it completely backs the host nations.“The next Afcon will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and I am confident that it will be very successful,” said Motsepe.“The subsequent Afcons 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 World Cup,” the African soccer boss stated.Ismaïla Sarr of Senegal celebrates victory after their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations match against Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 January 2026. Senegal was later stripped of the title, with Morocco declared winners. (Photo: Sydney Mahlangu / BackpagePix) When the announcement of a quadrennial Afcon was made about a year ago, Motsepe was accused by some of pandering to the interests of Europe. This was especially because under-pressure Fifa President Gianni Infantino had lobbied for Afcon to shift to a four-year cycle before CAF made the decision.In 2020, while addressing African soccer leaders, Infantino suggested that Africa move its schedule to a four-year cycle, saying: “The Afcon generates 20 times less than the Euros. Having the Afcon every two years, is that good at the commercial level? Has this developed the infrastructure?“We have been talking about the development of African football for many years. Pelé once said that an African team would win the World Cup. But this hasn’t happened and it seems we are not making progress. Today must be the day we turn that page,” Infantino said.Fifa President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe. (Photo: Sydney Mahlangu / BackpagePix) Five years later, CAF adopted this stance, and amid the criticism Motsepe was incensed at suggestions that Africa was once again bowing down to Europe.“We are absolutely convinced that we won’t adhere to a competition simply because it’s been there for the past few years. And the assertion that we will run Africa for Europe is absolute nonsense. You’re insulting us. We run Africa for Africa,” Motsepe said at the time.“We must free ourselves as Africans and have more confidence in ourselves. It should not be about Fifa says this, or Uefa says this. We can be convinced we are doing the right things. But it is important everyone on the continent is convinced we are doing the right things, too,” he said.The continent, via the CAF executive committee, has now spoken and said an Afcon every two years is the best option for African soccer. DM