The CAF Executive Committee has confirmed the return of AFCON every two years, abandoning the four-year project. But according to Romain Molina, a journalist at Foot-Africa, the infrastructure for AFCON 2027 is pharaonically behind schedule.
The four-year AFCON file is closed. The CAF Executive Committee has confirmed the return of the tournament every two years, reports AllAfrica. The four-year cycle project, halted in December 2025, has therefore been abandoned.
Patrice Motsepe, CAF president, explains that the decision “aims to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football and of CAF’s fifty-four member associations, as well as those of African players playing for clubs outside the continent”. The next event is AFCON 2027, scheduled in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027, according to the dates put forward by Just-InfoDZ.
A Nations League that would not bring in enough money quickly enough
CAF abandoned the project notably because the proposed Nations League would take several years before generating substantial financial resources, according to AllAfrica. The Executive Committee, which confirmed the return of the biennial tournament, includes among its members Ahmed Yahya, Souleiman Hassan Waberi, Samuel Eto’o and Fouzi Lekjaa.
Romain Molina, a journalist at Foot-Africa, is more critical. According to him, CAF is in a very bad financial state and organising a Nations League will generate no revenue. He also claims that the decision to move to four years was taken without consulting the federations.
2027 build-up, the calendar raises questions
It is on AFCON 2027 that the criticism is focused. Questioned by Just-InfoDZ, Romain Molina speaks of “a pharaonic delay in infrastructure”. In another interview, with Foot-Africa, he says: “Everyone says it’s impossible to meet.”
On top of this delay comes the political context in Kenya. With presidential elections approaching, Just-InfoDZ highlights an additional difficulty for organising the tournament.
The following editions already set
After AFCON 2027, the 2028 edition will follow, then those of 2031 and 2033, according to AllAfrica. The three-year gap between 2028 and 2031 is justified by the 2030 World Cup.