CAF could return to an AFCON every two years, according to journalist Micky Jnr. The 54 member associations were consulted until Wednesday 28 October, but no decision has yet been officially confirmed.
Is the Confederation of African Football (CAF) heading back towards a biennial cycle for its flagship competition? According to journalist Micky Jnr, cited by Foot-africa.com, the AFCON is expected to return to a two-year frequency, with a decision anticipated at the body’s next executive committee meeting. At this stage, nothing has been officially confirmed.
The 54 member associations were consulted and had until Wednesday 28 October to submit their position: an AFCON every two years or every four years. CAF president Patrice Motsepe had himself publicly opened the debate on the frequency on 9 October in Cape Verde.
A December 2025 reform under threat
The mooted change would reverse the reform announced in December 2025, which provided for an AFCON every four years after 2028 and the launch of an African Nations League from 2029, according to Nigeriasoccernet. In July, CAF launched the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions, in line with its four-year plan.
A return to the biennial cycle would therefore call that timetable, announced just a few months earlier, into question. The transition arrangements between the two formats remain to be clarified, while AFCON 2027 is still scheduled to be held in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The economic weight of the Nations League
The consultation highlights an economic argument: a new competition such as the planned African Nations League could take several years before generating significant revenue. That argument bears directly on the choice between the two frequencies, since the Nations League features in the December 2025 reform.
It remains to be seen whether the member federations will come out in favour of a return to the old format or of keeping the four-year calendar.
No decision confirmed for now
Micky Jnr’s information, reported by Foot-africa.com, should be read with caution: it does not constitute an official communication from the body. No date for an executive committee meeting has been confirmed, and there is no guarantee that the return to the biennial cycle will be ratified.
Foot-africa.com presents the next CAF executive meeting as the deadline for learning which format has been chosen. AFCON 2027, for its part, remains scheduled for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.