CAF to reconsider biennial AFCON format; 2027 tournament to be held in East Africa

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is reconsidering its decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, according to CAF president Patrice Motsepe. The move suggests a possible return to the biennial format that had been the traditional schedule for the tournament.

Motsepe reaffirmed that despite the ongoing review of the competition cycle, the 2027 AFCON edition will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The announcement underscores CAF's efforts to balance scheduling preferences with the interests of member nations and participating clubs.

The shift toward a four-year cycle had been introduced to align AFCON with the FIFA World Cup schedule and reduce fixture congestion for African players in European leagues. However, the reconsideration suggests growing pressure from stakeholders to return to a more frequent tournament format.