CAF Second Vice President Kurt Okraku has confirmed that the continental governing body has unanimously agreed to move the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to a four-year cycle, beginning with the 2028 edition.
Speaking to Metro TV, Okraku explained that the decision was driven by commercial considerations and aimed at reducing fixture congestion for players, while avoiding clashes with other continental and European competitions.
“The decision was driven by commercial considerations and the need to schedule the competition at a time that will not be worrying to the main actors (players). We also wanted to end clashes with our counterparts from other continents, particularly Europe,” he said.
The AFCON has been held every two years since 1968, except for a one-year gap between 2012 and 2013. The current format will conclude with the 2027 tournament co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, before transitioning to the new four-year schedule.
CAF also revealed plans to launch an annual African Nations League from 2029, adding more competitive fixtures for national teams across the continent.
Okraku highlighted that scheduling has been a recurring challenge, citing the postponement of the 2021 tournament to 2022 in Cameroon and the 2023 edition to early 2024, due to infrastructure delays. Attempts to move the competition to June–July have largely been unsuccessful, with only the 2019 Egypt edition being held in that window, affected by extreme heat.
