AFCON To Be Held Every Four Years From 2028; Africa To Get New Nations League

African football is set for a major structural shift, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) moving to a four-year cycle starting in 2028, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed on Saturday. The announcement was made by CAF president Patrice Motsepe during his press conference ahead of the start of AFCON 2025 in Morocco.

Motsepe clarified that the 2027 AFCON, to be co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, will go ahead as scheduled. However, the following edition – originally planned for 2029 – will be brought forward to 2028, with the next AFCON after that scheduled for 2032.

The shift aligns AFCON with other major international tournaments, including UEFA’s European Championship, which also operates on a four-year cycle and will next be held in 2028.

African Nations League To Launch In 2029

The revised AFCON calendar paves the way for the launch of the African Nations League, which will debut in 2029. According to Motsepe, the new competition will involve all 54 CAF member associations, divided into four geographical zones.

Matches will be played during the September and October international windows, with the finals scheduled for November.

“There’s going to be a competition every year where the best African players who play in Europe and worldwide will be with us on the continent,” Motsepe said.

While confirming the structural changes, Motsepe acknowledged that the exact timing of the 2028 AFCON is yet to be finalised, noting that scheduling has long been a challenge for Africa’s flagship national team tournament.

The 2025 AFCON, for instance, was pushed back from a planned summer window to avoid clashing with FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup.

CAF-FIFA Coordination, Fewer Calendar Clashes

Motsepe, who was joined at the announcement by FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, stressed that CAF has been consulting widely to ensure global calendar alignment.

“We are in discussions with all our stakeholders and taking into account the global fixtures,” Motsepe said.

Grafstrom described the change as a “historic decision”, confirming FIFA’s commitment to close coordination.

“I want to stay in touch in order to coordinate as much as possible the dates, like we did for this edition as well,” Grafstrom said. “It took a bit of time but in the end the compromise was found, which was accepted by everyone.”

Motsepe added that the new structure ensures African football benefits financially every year, rather than relying solely on AFCON cycles.

“Historically the AFCON was the prime focus where we could get resources to fund African football. In terms of this new dispensation, we will be getting resources every year,” he said.

Notably, the absence of an AFCON in 2029 also means it will not clash with the next FIFA Club World Cup, reducing pressure on players and national federations alike.

(With AP Inputs)