Motsepe says a biennial Africa Cup of Nations is being considered again

Patrice Motsepe has surprised observers with remarks about the Africa Cup of Nations format, pointing to a “new change”. The president of the African confederation confirmed that a return to staging the competition every two years was indeed being considered. The option is under review; no change has been confirmed as final.

The prospect of moving to a tournament every four years had drawn considerable criticism. The Africa Cup of Nations has an important place in the continent’s football calendar and matters greatly to supporters and national teams. Opponents argued that a longer gap could weaken African teams’ presence on the international stage, reduce revenues connected to the competition and deprive fans of their major continental event every two years.

The shift in position comes after an announcement in December last year that the competition would be held every four years from 2028. Separately, a few days ago, confederation spokesperson Luxolo September said the CAF did not intend to move or postpone the tournament. Motsepe’s comments have therefore brought the question of the competition’s frequency back into focus, without confirming that a return to a two-year cycle has been decided.