Renard and Chelle push for biennial AFCON tournaments

Hervé Renard, the head coach of the Saudi Arabia national football team, has joined Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles coach, in advocating for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to return to a two-year cycle. This call comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced in December that AFCON would transition to a four-year cycle starting in 2028, a decision that has faced backlash from federation officials and supporters concerned about the tournament's significance.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe has indicated that this decision may be revisited. A proposal to restore the biennial format is expected to be discussed at CAF's Ordinary General Assembly on November 21 in Abuja.

Renard expressed his belief that a two-year cycle is preferable, stating that a four-year gap is excessively long. Chelle, who previously coached Mali at the 2023 AFCON and is currently leading Nigeria, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that more frequent tournaments would facilitate team development and provide economic benefits for host nations.