The Africa Cup of Nations could remain a biennial tournament, with discussions under way to reverse the proposed switch to a four-year cycle, the Confederation of African Football has confirmed.
Speaking on Friday at a Caf strategy conference in Cape Verde, Caf president Patrice Motsepe said the governing body is examining the matter. “We’ve discussed it over the last few days,” he said. “We are looking at everything, including having the Afcon coming back every two years. We are very clear, the matter is being reviewed.”
The two-year cycle is the tournament’s established rhythm. Afcon has been staged every two years since 1968, the only exception being a one-year gap between the 2012 and 2013 editions.
That continuity was placed in doubt in December 2025, when Caf announced the competition would shift to a four-year cycle following the 2027 Afcon in East Africa and a 2028 edition.
The planned change drew widespread criticism across the continent. National associations raised concerns about the visibility of their teams, the commercial implications of a reduced schedule, and where Africa’s biggest competition would sit within the international football calendar.
Caf’s latest position leaves the schedule unresolved. What is clear from Motsepe’s remarks is that the proposed four-year format is no longer settled policy, and that the organisation is actively reviewing the alternatives.