CAF President Patrice Motsepe stated that the primary reason for the U-turn was the time required for the proposed replacement competition, the Africa Nations League Pan-African Competition, to become financially self-sufficient. “We were also concerned by the several years required before the proposed new Africa Nations League Pan-African competition… could make the substantial financial and football development contributions for African Football and CAF competitions to be globally competitive and self-supporting,” Motsepe said in a statement. The new competition was intended to be identical to the current AFCON and also held on a biennial basis.
The statement noted that the decision was also taken in the interests of African players employed by clubs outside the continent. While this ensures regular competitive opportunities for national teams, it may prove contentious for European and other non-African clubs, which will lose key players every two years rather than every four.
Under the restored schedule, the upcoming tournament is set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Following this edition, CAF confirmed that the next three tournaments will take place in 2028, 2031, and 2033. Motsepe explained the three-year gap between the 2028 and 2031 editions by citing FIFA tradition, which prohibits Confederations from holding their final national team competitions in the same year as the FIFA World Cup. The next World Cup is scheduled for 2030.
This administrative decision occurs while the outcome of the 2025 AFCON remains in legal limbo. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected to rule at the end of November on an appeal by Senegal. Senegal is challenging the initial decision to strip them of the title and award it to hosts Morocco after the final match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat was abandoned. The CAS ruling will determine the official winner of the 2025 edition as the confederation moves forward with the biennial calendar.
