Afcon to Undergo Major Overhaul: Tournament to be Held Every Four Years from 2028

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has announced a significant change to the format of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), with the tournament set to be held every four years from 2028.

Details

According to Caf president Patrice Motsepe, the decision was made in conjunction with Fifa president Gianni Infantino and the world governing body’s general secretary Mattias Grafstrom. The move aims to synchronize the global calendar and harmonize the football schedule.
Afcon has been held every two years since 1968, but the biennial hosting of the tournament has long caused issues with the football calendar. The vast majority of recent tournaments have been held midway through the European club season, causing disruptions to the schedules of European clubs.
However, Caf has increased the prize money for the winners of Afcon from $7m to $10m. The surprise announcement was made by Motsepe after a meeting of Caf’s executive committee in Morocco before the start of the 2025 finals in Rabat on Sunday.

African Nations League to be Launched in 2029

Motsepe also announced the creation of the African Nations League, which will take place annually from 2029. The competition will see all 54 member associates split into four zones, with six nations in the Northern zone and 16 nations in the Eastern, Western and Central and Southern zones.
Matches will be played in September and October, with the champions from each region meeting in November to decide an overall winner. The new competition will be held in partnership with Fifa and will be “the equivalent of an Afcon every year,” according to Motsepe.

Impact on the Football Calendar

The decision to hold Afcon every four years will have a significant impact on the football calendar. The tournament will now take place in the same year as the European Championships, which will be held every four years.
The dates for the finals in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in 2027 are yet to be announced, and that will be swiftly followed by another Afcon in 2028 – with the hosts of that edition yet to be decided.

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