The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will largely be returned to biennial – every two years – scheduling.
CAF said the 2027 tournament would be held in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania with a further tournament to follow in 2028. It will be followed by tournaments in 2031 and 2033.
The decision came after CAF was heavily criticised for trying to move AFCON to a four-year cycle and new Africa Nations League competition.
CAF said the proposed new tournament would take several years before it could raise enough money to support the growth of African football and bring its competitions to world standards.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said it was based on the confederation’s 54 member associations and African players playing outside.
He also stated that the administration had looked at the financial and developmental impact of rewriting the AFCON standard.
The 2027 qualifiers are scheduled to take place from September 2026 to March 2027, with 48 teams competing for the finals.
Hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will be directly qualified but are also expected to be involved in the qualification run.
With the new calendar in place, the AFCON is unlikely to be pushed out, having been a fundamental part of the African game for decades.
