The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Thursday, October 29, 2026, the return of the Africa Cup of Nations to its biennial format, after the Executive Committee unanimously decided to reverse the decision to organize the competition once every four years.
The African confederation explained in an official statement that the decision came after reviewing the previous system, which was approved last year, in light of concerns about the time it might take for the proposed African Nations Championship to generate significant and sustainable financial returns, in order to support the development of football on the continent, enhance its global competitiveness, and achieve financial independence.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe had revealed during the Union's strategic conference, hosted by Cape Verde between October 7 and 9, that the Executive Committee was considering reconsidering the decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years.
This came after the African Nations Championship project aimed to provide a major continental tournament every two years, similar to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, achieving the expected financial returns from the new competition might take several years, which prompted the Union to review its plans.
Motsepe confirmed that the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be held in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the following edition to be organized in 2028, and then the tournament will be held in 2031 and 2033, with the possibility of no edition in 2030, coinciding with the World Cup, in respect of the existing guidelines for continental national team tournaments during the World Cup year.
The President of the African Union stressed that the return to the biennial system aims to preserve the interests of African football and its 54 federations, while taking into account the situations of African players playing for clubs outside the continent.
Motsepe pointed to the special status of the Africa Cup of Nations, considering it more than just a football competition, as it represents an opportunity to celebrate the continent's cultural diversity and strengthen the bonds between its peoples and communities spread across the world.