The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be held every four years from 2028, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has announced, marking a major shift in the continent’s flagship football competition.
Motsepe revealed the decision following a meeting of CAF’s Executive Committee in Morocco, ahead of the opening of the 2025 AFCON finals in Rabat on Sunday.
AFCON has traditionally been staged every two years since 1968, except for a one-year gap between the 2012 and 2013 tournaments.
Under the new structure, the biennial format will end after the 2027 edition, which will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The tournament will then be held again in 2028, and subsequently in 2032, 2036 and beyond.
“We have the most exciting new structure for African football,” Motsepe said. “I do what is in the interests of Africa. The global calendar has to be significantly more synchronised and harmonised.”