From 2028, Afcon will be held every four years to align with global schedules, while a new African Nations League from 2029 will provide annual competition. Prize money will increase to $10M, enhancing African football’s international profile.
By: Joseph James Udoh | WBN NEWS Africa / Sports | January 14, 2026
The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) will enter a new era from 2028 after the Confederation of African Football confirmed the tournament will be staged every four years. The announcement was made by Caf president Patrice Motsepe following an executive committee meeting in Morocco, ahead of the 2025 finals in Rabat.
Afcon has been held biennially since 1968, a format that often created tension with the global football calendar, particularly for European-based players and clubs. From 2028, the competition will adopt a quadrennial cycle, aligning it with the European Championships and marking a significant shift in African football planning. The change will take effect after the 2027 tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, followed by another edition in 2028 before the new cycle fully settles.
Motsepe described the move as part of a broader reform agenda, saying, “We have the most exciting new structure for African football,” and adding,
“I do what is in the interests of Africa. The global calendar has to be significantly more synchronized armonized.”
He confirmed the decision was made in consultation with Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafstrom.
To maintain annual high-level competition, Caf will launch an African Nations League from 2029, featuring all 54 member associations in zonal formats, culminating in a final competition each November. Motsepe said the tournament would be “the equivalent of an Afcon every year” and promised “a world-class competition every year.”
Alongside these reforms, Afcon prize money for winners has increased from $7m to $10m, underscoring Caf’s renewed ambition. With a streamlined calendar, stronger commercial appeal, and more consistent elite competition, African football is positioning itself for a more stable and globally integrated future.
TAG: ##AFCON #CAF #African Football #Football News
Joseph James Udoh is a Columnist/WBN News contributor and Editor of Africa Editions.
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