By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has announced that Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will move to a four-year cycle after the next editions in 2027 and 2028.
Motsepe was speaking in Rabat ahead of Sunday’s opening match between hosts Morocco and Comoros.
The AFCON 2027, hosted jointly by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, will mark the last edition under the current biennial format. From there, the tournament will transition to a four-year cycle, beginning with AFCON 2028, followed by editions in 2032, 2036, and beyond.
The change comes with CAF set to introduce the first- ever African Nations League from 2028.
The competition will see all 54 member associates split into four zones, with six nations in the Northern zone and 16 nations in the Eastern, Western and Central and Southern zones.
Matches will be played in September and October, with the champions from each region meeting in November to then decide an overall winner.
Motsepe said the new competition will be “the equivalent of an Afcon every year” and will be held in partnership with Fifa in order to attract top-class sponsors.
“Every year in Africa, the best African players who play in Europe will be with us on the continent,” Motsepe added.
“Every year we will have a competition with 54 African nations with all the best players coming here to play.
Motsepe said, that the change will also allow CAF to focus on strengthening club competitions, youth development, and infrastructure across member associations.
The restructuring follows years of tension between CAF, FIFA and European clubs, particularly over player availability and congested schedules.
The 2025 AFCON itself faced multiple delays and was eventually moved to a December start to avoid clashing with the expanded FIFA Club World Cup scheduled for the summer.
Meanwhile, Caf has increased the prize money for the winners of Afcon from $7m (£5.2m) to $10m (£7.5m).