The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has asked its 54 member associations, including Uganda, to recommend whether the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) should be staged every two or four years, reopening a debate that could shape the Cranes’ future continental campaigns.
In a letter dated October 23 seen by this paper, acting Caf general secretary Samson Adamu has asked the members to submit their recommendations and comments before 1pm on Wednesday, October 28.
‘Caf President Dr Patrice Motsepe has requested that I obtain the recommendation of your Member Association on whether the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) should take place every 2 years or every 4 years,’ the letter reads.
The consultation follows Motsepe’s December 2025 announcement that Afcon would move to a four-year cycle after the 2028 edition, with an African Nations League proposed to provide regular competition and additional revenue. The announcement attracted uproar from sections of African football stakeholders who felt that Caf was bending to the desires of Fifa president Gianni Infantino as well as aligning to the wishes of European football calendar.
U-turn?
However, speaking at a Caf strategy conference in Cabo Verde on October 9, Motsepe said the governing body was reconsidering the arrangement. He reiterated the position during a virtual Executive Committee meeting on October 22.
Caf’s letter identifies financial sustainability, players’ interests, the international match calendar and the development of African football among the considerations guiding the decision. It also acknowledges the financial uncertainty surrounding the proposed alternative competition, the Africa Nations League.
The letter now states that the Africa Nations League Pan African, which was suggested to replace the current Afcon format, ‘would require several years before it could make significant financial contributions to Caf and its Member Associations’ if Afcon were held every four years.
Fufa’s proposal carries implications beyond the 2027 finals, which the country will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania. The Cranes returned to Afcon in 2017 after a 39-year absence and reached the round of 16 in 2019, the team’s first knockout-stage appearance since 1978. The team returned again last year after missing two editions and then qualified for 2027 as co-hosts to make the ninth appearance.
Caf noted that its executive committee will consider the relevant factors before deciding the tournament’s frequency. The 2027 tournament remains scheduled to take place in East Africa, regardless of the outcome of the consultation.