CAF REVERSES FOUR-YEAR AFCON PLAN — AFRICA'S FLAGSHIP TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO TWO-YEAR CYCLE

By ASVG Media | October 29, 2026

The Confederation of African Football announced that its Executive Committee had unanimously voted to restore the Africa Cup of Nations to a two-year cycle. CAF acknowledged that the proposed Africa Nations League would need several years before it could generate sufficient revenue to support African football's financial requirements. The decision protects AFCON's established place in the continental football calendar, with future editions scheduled for 2027, 2028, 2031 and 2033. 

For broadcasters, sponsors, host nations and football federations, retaining AFCON's frequency preserves a recurring commercial platform. The decision also raises questions about competition scheduling, player availability and CAF's longer-term media-rights strategy. Importantly, the proposed Nations League has not yet demonstrated the commercial capacity to replace AFCON's contribution to the African football economy.