Motsepe springs a surprise: we are studying changing the Africa Cup of Nations format again!

The CAF president backtracks on the four-year decision 10 months after announcing it

CAF are edging towards scrapping their plan to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years rather than every two, a shift that could reshape the future of the continental tournament.

According to British newspaper "The Guardian", the Confederation of African Football is weighing up a return to the old system of holding the competition every two years. A vote on the proposal is expected at CAF's executive committee meeting in Cape Verde.

Switching to a four-year cycle had drawn widespread criticism, given the central place AFCON holds in the continent's football calendar and its importance to fans and national teams.

Critics warned that a longer gap between editions could hurt the presence of African teams on the international stage, cut tournament revenues and rob fans of their biggest continental event every two years.

Motsepe confirms a return to the previous system is being studied

Patrice Motsepe, the CAF president, confirmed that a return to a two-year cycle is indeed on the table.

Speaking today, Friday, at a CAF meeting in Cape Verde, as highlighted by French outlet "Foot Mercato", Motsepe said: "We are studying the possibility of returning to holding the Africa Cup of Nations every two years. This matter is currently under study."

His words mark a clear shift in the confederation's stance, after it announced last December a change to the system by holding the tournament every four years starting from 2028.

Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will co-host the 2027 edition between 19 June and 17 July of next year. As things stand, CAF has no plans to relocate or postpone the tournament, according to statements by Luxolo September, the confederation's media spokesperson, to Kooora a few days ago.