Less than a year after announcing an AFCON every four years, the CAF Executive Committee has voted unanimously to return to the biennial format. Patrice Motsepe, president of the body, justifies the U-turn with financial arguments.
According to Afrik-foot, the CAF Executive Committee voted unanimously to return to the biennial frequency of the Africa Cup of Nations, less than a year after announcing a move to a four-yearly schedule. The decision was made official in a statement.
The U-turn bears the signature of Patrice Motsepe, CAF president. He justifies it by the inability of a substitute competition to immediately generate revenue comparable to that of the AFCON, reports Afrik-foot. A financial argument that prompted reactions from journalists at Canal+ Sport Afrique, and a new twist in the saga over the competition’s frequency.
A biennial AFCON since 1968
The AFCON has been played every two years since 1968, except for postponements linked to Covid. The first edition, held in 1957 in Khartoum, brought together three teams. The field was expanded to 24 teams in 2019, in Egypt. The last edition took place in Morocco, from December 2025 to January 2026.
The move to a four-yearly frequency, announced less than a year ago, therefore represented a break with this habit. The return to the biennial format erases it.
Motsepe’s governance in question
The U-turn fuels criticism of Patrice Motsepe’s leadership style. Canal+ Sport Afrique journalist Philippe Doucet said: “He is afraid of being sacked like a dog while he is aiming for the presidency of South Africa”. Remarks that are a matter of opinion, reported by Afrik-foot.
His colleague Mansour Loum, also a journalist at Canal+ Sport Afrique, summed up the situation in a phrase, again according to Afrik-foot: “The AFCON is homeless, with no fixed date”. These criticisms come amid tensions with the global bodies. Afrik-foot places this issue within a power struggle between Gianni Infantino’s FIFA and Alexander Ceferin’s UEFA.
AFCON 2027: Uganda at the heart of questions
AFCON 2027 is due to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, through the “Pamoja” bid. According to Afrik-foot, Moses Magogo Hassim, president of FUFA, reportedly announced in early October, at CAF’s strategic conference in Cape Verde, that his country could not co-host the competition.
Preparation for AFCON 2027 therefore continues in a climate of uncertainty, with questions over Uganda’s participation.