AFCON Shifts to Four-Year Cycle

The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe arrived at the December 20, 2025, press conference in Rabat with a full agenda, but he saved the heaviest news for last. Carefully preparing journalists packed in the room and viewers tuned in via CAF's YouTube channel, the bombshell landed hard: The Africa Cup of Nations will shift to a four-year cycle starting from 2028.
He justified the move by stressing its benefits for African football and to its players, aligning with global calendar restructuring. The 2027 AFCON in East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania) proceeds as planned, but the next edition; originally set for 2029; moves down to 2028, with the following one in 2032. According to Motsepe, historically, AFCON was the prime focus for funding African football, but this new setup promises year-round resources. "We have secured the most exciting new structure for African football, which will contribute to sustainable financial independence and self-support for the continent for years to come," Motsepe declared. The tournament has run every two years since 1968, except for a one-year gap between 2012 and 2013 editions. 
This decision definitely aligns AFCON with ...