African soccer’s CAF governing body has announced that its showpiece Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, currently every two years, will become a quadrennial affair after the 2027 edition.
After the 2027 tournament, which will take place across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, the new concept will begin in 2028, and then every four years thereafter.
While AFCON typically accounts for 80% of CAF’s overall revenue, and the continent’s soccer calendar revolves around the tournament’s qualification process, the changes will bring CAF competitions in line with the global FIFA calendar.
In order to make up for the shortfall in both revenue and football fixtures caused by the move to a four-year CAF cycle, the body has also announced the establishment of a new seasonal ‘Nations League’ tournament that will fill the gaps with competitive soccer.
Emulating the existing UEFA Nations League concept, the CAF Nations League will begin in 2029, and take place annually, with all 54 CAF members participating in the FIFA-standard international break slots.
To facilitate the tournament and reduce travel costs, the continent will be split into four regions, with the winners of each contesting the tournament’s finals.
The major move was announced by CAF president Patrice Motsepe ahead of the launch of the 2025 edition, which began on December 21.
“Historically, the Nations Cup was the prime resource for us, but now we will get financial resources every year," Motsepe commented on the new Nations League format.
"It is an exciting new structure which will contribute to sustainable financial independence and ensure more synchronization with the FIFA calendar."
Motsepe also announced that the prize money for the current edition of AFCON would be raised from $7 million in previous years to $10 million.
The AFC, Asia’s own continental soccer governing body, has also announced the launch of its own Nations League.
While a timeline has not yet been set for the competition’s launch, it is likely to happen sometime after the next quadrennial Asian Cup tournament, which will next take place in 2027.
This is the latest initiative from AFC to increase parity across the tournament by allowing its nations to play more competitive games, likely banded by region as with Africa, against similarly levelled opponents, while lowering costs.
AFC also indicated that the Nations League launch will aid its sponsor and broadcast growth goals.
The body stated: “In addition to the sporting benefits, we have also seen strong interest and growing demand from our commercial partners for a Nations League-style competition, reflecting its appeal to fans, broadcasters and stakeholders alike and its ability to deliver a more compelling and marketable international football product.”
