The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has resolved to restore the two-year cycle for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.

In December 2025, CAF had decided that the AFCON finals be held every four years to ease conflicts between clubs and national teams over the release of players.

Furthermore, CAF had anticipated the four-year cycle to generate billions of Rands for African football.

However, in a statement released on Thursday, the African football governing body, through President Dr Patrice Motsepe, said the plan is not immediately feasible.

The plan was to get underway immediately after the 2028 AFCON finals, with the following tournament scheduled for 2032.

But that will no longer be the case, meaning the next AFCON tournament after the 2028 edition will be held in 2030.

AFCON BACK TO ITS TWO-YEAR CYCLE AS CAF DECIDES OTHERWISE

“The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously decided on Thursday that the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) will once again be held every two years,” reads part of the statement.

“CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe announced at the CAF Strategic Conference held in Cape Verde from October 7 to 9, 2026, that the Executive Committee would review the decision taken last year to move the AFCON to a four-year cycle.

“This review was motivated in particular by the observation that the proposed new pan-African competition, the Nations League, intended to replace the current AFCON and to be played every two years, would require several years before it could generate the substantial financial resources necessary to allow CAF competitions and African football to be globally competitive and financially self-sufficient.”

WHAT DR PATRICE MOTSEPE SAID…

“The decision by the CAF Executive Committee to reinstate the organization of the AFCON every two years aims to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football and the 54 CAF Member Associations, as well as those of African players playing for clubs outside the continent,” said Motsepe.

“We were also concerned about the number of years it would take for the proposed new pan-African competition, the Nations League, designed to be identical to the current AFCON and to be played every two years, to provide the substantial financial contributions and benefits needed for the development of African football, in order to make CAF competitions globally competitive and financially self-sustaining.”