Overview
- CAF’s Executive Committee voted unanimously on Friday to scrap the December 2025 plan for a four-year Africa Cup of Nations and to return the tournament to a biennial schedule.
- President Patrice Motsepe said the U-turn followed a review that found the proposed African Nations League would not produce the necessary funding or development benefits for several years.
- CAF published a revised calendar that confirms Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as 2027 hosts and schedules subsequent AFCONs for 2028, 2031 and 2033 while keeping 2030 free because of the World Cup.
- European clubs are expected to object to the reinstated two-year rhythm because it requires releasing top African players during the European club season, a recurring source of conflict.
- The decision comes while the contested 2025 final remains unresolved at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a ruling expected at the end of November 2026, leaving legal and reputational questions for CAF.