AFCON: Patrice Motsepe says he is considering a return to a biennial tournament

The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, stated on October 9, 2026, that the governing body is re-examining the schedule of the Africa Cup of Nations and is considering a return to a biennial edition. "We are studying the possibility of returning to an AFCON every two years," he told the assembly, according to Africa Top Sports, which reported that the statement was met with applause.

This is a significant reversal: the shift to a quadrennial schedule, starting in 2028, had been announced in December 2025, notes the Burkinabe daily Le Pays. No decision has been finalized yet: the matter must be submitted to the CAF executive committee and could be subject to a vote, specifies Africa Top Sports, which provided no timeline or details.

The calendar argument versus the revenue argument

The quadrennial format had been justified by the congestion of the international calendar and the risk of player burnout, two arguments put forward in particular by European clubs that release their African internationals every January. However, spacing out the competition reduces the number of events to sell to broadcasters and sponsors: according to Le Pays, the biennial cycle is backed by an agreement guaranteeing at least one billion dollars in revenue over eight years. When asked about potential outside pressure, Patrice Motsepe denied it, again according to Le Pays.

A competition the continent does not want to see fade away

The 2025 decision had sparked sharp criticism among African football stakeholders, who saw it as a step backward for the continent's most popular competition, highlights Le Pays. For many federations, the AFCON is also the primary showcase for their players and a source of income that is difficult to replace: moving it from two to four years meant depriving an entire generation of players of one or two appearances.

It remains to be seen whether CAF will make a decision before the next edition. The debate itself goes beyond technicalities: it centers on the question of who sets the tempo for African football, the continent's stakeholders or economic interests from elsewhere.