Motsepe springs a surprise: we are studying a return to holding AFCON every two years

CAF president's statements shuffle the deck once again

Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has revealed he is considering reorganising the Africa Cup of Nations to be held every two years, less than a year after approving the move to stage it every four years.

Motsepe told CAF's general assembly, held on Friday in Cape Verde: "We discussed the matter in recent days, and we are studying all the options, including the return of AFCON every two years," as those present broke into applause.

Back in December 2025, CAF announced it would stage the tournament every four years instead of every two from 2028, aiming to align it with the international football calendar.

The decision drew sharp objections. That backlash has prompted the CAF president to think again.

A billion dollars at stake

Money sits at the heart of it. British newspaper "The Guardian" confirmed last August that CAF was forced to give up a billion dollars by switching from staging the tournament every two years to every four.

The timing is awkward. Scandals in the final of the latest edition between Morocco and Senegal have already dented the tournament's image, according to French network "RMC".

Until the matter is settled, the next Africa Cup of Nations will run from 19 June to 18 July 2027, in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The host country or countries for the 2028 edition remain undecided.