Caf Opens Door to Two-Year Afcon Return as Motsepe Confirms Four-Year Plan Under Review

Caf reopens the Afcon cycle debate

The Africa Cup of Nations could continue to be staged every two years, after Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe confirmed the governing body is reviewing its proposed switch to a four-year cycle.

Speaking on Friday at a Caf strategy conference in Cape Verde, Motsepe made clear that the change of direction was firmly on the agenda.

"We've discussed it over the last few days," he said. "We are looking at everything, including having the Afcon coming back every two years. We are very clear, the matter is being reviewed."

A break with a long tradition

Africa's flagship international tournament has been held every two years since 1968, with the only interruption coming from a one-year gap between the 2012 and 2013 editions. That long-established rhythm was set to change in December 2025, when Caf announced the competition would shift to being staged every four years after the 2027 Afcon in East Africa and a 2028 edition.

That planned alteration to the schedule had drawn widespread criticism across the continent, with national associations raising concerns about the visibility of their teams, the commercial implications and where Africa's biggest competition would sit in the international football calendar.

Objections prompt a rethink

Motsepe's latest comments suggest those objections have now forced Caf to reconsider. The review leaves open the possibility that the tournament reverts to the two-year format that has defined it for more than half a century, even as the 2027 finals in East Africa and the planned 2028 edition remain on the calendar.

No timeline has been given for when a final decision on the cycle will be taken, but Motsepe's public confirmation that the four-year model is under review represents a significant shift from the position Caf set out in December 2025.

The discussion comes amid continuing uncertainty elsewhere in African football, with Senegal still waiting to learn the outcome of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being stripped of the Afcon title they believed they had won in January.