The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed its decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, with its executive committee voting unanimously on Thursday to restore the competition’s traditional two-year cycle.

The decision came less than a year after CAF announced the move to a four-year schedule. CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the change of direction was driven mainly by economic considerations.

The reform, announced in December 2025, triggered significant controversy across Africa, particularly because of the perceived influence of FIFA over the decision. Motsepe had promised that the issue would be reconsidered at a strategic conference held in Cape Verde at the start of October.

CAF has now opted to retain the historic frequency of its flagship tournament after concluding that reducing the number of editions would create serious financial difficulties for African football.

The proposed four-year cycle was linked to plans for an African Nations League to be played every two years. However, that competition would have needed several years before it could produce revenues comparable to those generated by the Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament is CAF’s main source of income and helps fund the organisation’s other continental competitions. The financial implications of moving to a less frequent schedule therefore became a central concern in the debate over the reform.

The decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years had also been viewed as a concession to the interests of FIFA and European clubs. CAF’s reversal has been linked to the dispute between FIFA and UEFA, with football’s world governing body no longer seeking to accommodate its European counterpart, which favours Africa Cup of Nations tournaments being held less frequently.

CAF has also clarified the timetable for future editions of the competition.

There will be an exceptional three-year gap between the 2028 and 2031 tournaments. That change is intended to prevent the Africa Cup of Nations from being staged in the same year as the 2030 World Cup, in line with FIFA practice.

The decision marks a retreat from CAF’s attempt to fundamentally reshape its competition calendar. The organisation has ultimately acknowledged that a biennial Africa Cup of Nations remains essential to the financial balance and wider profile of African football.