The Confédération Africaine de Football has reversed its earlier decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, with the CAF Executive Committee voting unanimously to restore the tournament to its traditional two-year cycle.

CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe made the announcement at the CAF Strategy Conference held in Cabo Verde from 7–9 October 2026, confirming that the EXCO had already reconsidered and overturned the four-year schedule it adopted the previous year.

Why the decision was reversed

The central reason for the U-turn was the slow development of the proposed Africa Nations League — a pan-African competition that was intended to replace the two-year AFCON slot. CAF concluded that the new competition would need several more years before it could generate the substantial financial resources required to make African football globally competitive and self-sustaining.

Dr Motsepe framed the reversal as a matter of protecting African interests across the board.