The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is reconsidering its decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, with president Patrice Motsepe confirming the organisation is examining a return to a biennial tournament.
Motsepe made the announcement on 9 October after a strategic conference in Cape Verde. The possible reversal comes less than a year after CAF said the competition would move to a four-year cycle from 2028.
The proposed change was intended to create space in the continental calendar for a new African Nations League. However, CAF must also assess whether reducing the frequency of its flagship competition would affect its commercial value.
In August 2026, The Guardian reported that the decision to abandon the biennial cycle had contributed to the collapse of a commercial agreement that would have generated more than one billion dollars in revenue over eight years.
Financial considerations are not the only factor behind the review. A tournament held every two years gives national teams regular opportunities to develop their squads, introduce new generations of players and maintain public interest.
The Africa Cup of Nations also provides an important platform for footballers, particularly those playing in African leagues. Performances at the competition can increase their chances of attracting attention from overseas clubs.
Moving to a four-year schedule would reduce the frequency of that exposure. A longer gap between tournaments, however, could give host countries and organisers more time to prepare, improve infrastructure and raise the profile of each edition.
The central issue for CAF is therefore which format would best support the long-term interests of African football.
The debate also affects European clubs, who must release their African internationals for the tournament and during international windows. African players are regularly called up by their national teams, meaning a more frequent Africa Cup of Nations could increase pressure on an already crowded calendar.
A four-year cycle would not automatically resolve those problems, while a return to every two years would need to take account of the additional demands placed on clubs and players.
CAF must also determine what would happen to the African Nations League, which was announced as part of the previous reform. If the organisation restores the biennial Africa Cup of Nations, it will need to explain where the Nations League fits and how its format would operate within the revised schedule.
Reversing a reform announced only months earlier would raise wider governance questions. CAF would be expected to set out the reasons for the change, explain the consultations held with its 54 member associations and address the implications for commercial partners and host nations.
Motsepe has confirmed a review rather than a final decision. The challenge for CAF is not simply to choose between a two-year and four-year cycle, but to create a calendar that is coherent, financially sustainable and beneficial to African football as a whole.