CAF to switch AFCON to four-year cycle after 2027, unveil annual African Nations League

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a major overhaul of the continent’s international football calendar, confirming that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will move from a biennial to a quadrennial tournament after the 2027 edition.

The 2027 AFCON, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will be the final tournament held every two years. From 2028 onwards, Africa’s flagship international competition will take place once every four years, aligning CAF more closely with the global FIFA calendar.

AFCON currently generates around 80% of CAF’s overall revenue and plays a central role in shaping Africa’s football calendar through its extensive qualification process. CAF believes the shift to a four-year cycle will bring greater synchronisation with international football while improving long-term planning for clubs, players and federations.

To offset the reduction in fixtures and revenue resulting from the change, CAF has also confirmed the creation of a new continental Nations League competition. The CAF Nations League will begin in 2029 and will be held annually, providing regular competitive international matches for all 54 member associations during FIFA-designated international windows.

Modelled on the UEFA Nations League, the African version will divide the continent into four regions to limit travel demands and reduce costs. The winners from each region will progress to a finals stage to determine the overall champion.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced the reforms ahead of the launch of the 2025 AFCON, which kicked off on December 21.

“Historically, the Nations Cup was the prime resource for us, but now we will get financial resources every year," Motsepe commented on the new Nations League format.

"It is an exciting new structure which will contribute to sustainable financial independence and ensure more synchronization with the FIFA calendar."

Motsepe also revealed that prize money for the current AFCON has been increased from $7 million to $10 million, underlining CAF’s intention to enhance the commercial appeal of its competitions.

Elsewhere, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also confirmed plans to launch its own Nations League, following a similar model to those already introduced in Europe and now Africa.

Although a formal timeline has not been announced, the AFC Nations League is expected to be introduced after the next Asian Cup, which is scheduled for 2027. The competition is designed to increase competitive balance by allowing teams to play more meaningful matches against opponents of a similar level, likely grouped by region to reduce operational costs.

The AFC has also highlighted the commercial potential of the new competition, particularly in relation to sponsorship and broadcast growth.

The body stated: “In addition to the sporting benefits, we have also seen strong interest and growing demand from our commercial partners for a Nations League-style competition, reflecting its appeal to fans, broadcasters and stakeholders alike and its ability to deliver a more compelling and marketable international football product.”