CAF President Motsepe Reconsiders AFCON Format Changes

Patrice Motsepe, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), announced on October 9, 2026, during a press conference at CAF's Strategy Conference in Cape Verde, that the organization is reconsidering its decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years. This reconsideration comes ten months after CAF initially announced plans to shift AFCON to a four-year cycle following the 2028 edition, a decision that faced criticism from various stakeholders in African football.

Motsepe stated that discussions are ongoing and emphasized CAF's commitment to protecting and advancing African football's interests. He rejected claims that the four-year cycle was introduced to appease European football authorities.

The review of the AFCON schedule is part of a broader evaluation of CAF's competition calendar, which originally planned for the 2027 edition to take place in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, followed by another tournament in 2028 before transitioning to a four-year schedule.