The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will return to its traditional two-year cycle following a reversal of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to stage the tournament every four years.

CAF announced the proposed change in December but has now backtracked following a review of its plans.

Under the revised arrangement, the continental football governing body had intended to introduce an African Nations League to replace AFCON as its biennial competition.

 However, it acknowledged that the new competition would take several years to generate sufficient revenue to become financially self-sustaining.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the decision to restore the biennial format was aimed at protecting the interests of African football and its member associations.

"The decision by the Executive Committee to reinstate the organisation 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," he said in a statement.

The biennial schedule has historically presented challenges for the international football calendar, with most recent editions taking place midway through the European club season.

The expansion of FIFA's Club World Cup to 32 teams, staged in June and July last year, also influenced CAF's scheduling decisions, forcing the governing body to opt for mid-season dates for AFCON.

The next edition of the tournament will be held in 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda jointly hosting. Subsequent editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033, with no tournament planned for 2030 because of the FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, the 2025 AFCON ended in controversy, with Senegal initially crowned champions before CAF stripped the country of the title three months later and awarded it to Morocco.