CAF has scrapped its plan to hold AFCON every four years. The Africa Cup of Nations will go back to being held every two years. After AFCON 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (19 June β 17 July 2027), the next tournaments are planned for 2028, 2031 and 2033. CAF says AFCON may not be held in a FIFA World Cup year, so there will be no tournament in 2030.
The Confederation of African Football has reversed one of its biggest decisions in years. On 30 October 2026, CAF announced that its Executive Committee had unanimously decided that the Africa Cup of Nations “will return to taking place every Two Years”, less than a year after it voted to move the tournament to a four-year cycle.
Next AFCON tournaments: the new calendar
| Year | AFCON |
|---|---|
| 2027 | Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda (PAMOJA 2027), 19 June β 17 July |
| 2028 | Planned (host not yet announced) |
| 2030 | No AFCON: FIFA World Cup year |
| 2031 | Planned (host not yet announced) |
| 2033 | Planned (host not yet announced) |
“The subsequent AFCONs thereafter will take place in 2028, 2031 and 2033,” CAF President Patrice Motsepe said, adding that the tournament “may not take place during the year of the FIFA World Cup.”
What changed?
In December 2025, CAF announced that AFCON would move to a four-year cycle from 2028. The plan was to fill the gap with a new African Nations League, played every two years, to give national teams more competitive matches and bring in new revenue.
The plan was not widely welcomed, and CAF has now dropped it. CAF said the proposed Nations League would take several years to generate enough revenue to make African competitions financially self-sufficient. “We were also concerned by the several years required before the proposed new Africa Nations League” could deliver, Motsepe said.
Motsepe first hinted at the U-turn at CAF’s strategy conference in Cabo Verde in October, before the Executive Committee made the decision official.
What it means for AFCON 2027
Nothing changes for PAMOJA 2027. The tournament goes ahead in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July 2027, with 24 teams. “I am confident that it will be very successful,” Motsepe said.
One thing does change: AFCON 2027 is no longer the last tournament before a four-year gap. Fans will have another AFCON just a year later, in 2028.
Qualifying for AFCON 2027 continues as planned, with Matchdays 3 and 4 in November 2026. See the latest AFCON 2027 qualifiers table and November fixtures.
A quick history of the AFCON calendar
- 1957: the first Africa Cup of Nations
- 1968: AFCON settles into a two-year cycle
- 2013: CAF moves AFCON from even to odd years, to avoid clashing with the FIFA World Cup
- December 2025: CAF announces a switch to every four years from 2028
- October 2026: CAF reverses the decision and keeps AFCON every two years
Frequently asked questions
When is the next AFCON after 2027?
After AFCON 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the next Africa Cup of Nations is planned for 2028, followed by 2031 and 2033.
Is AFCON every two or four years?
Every two years. CAF scrapped its plan to move to a four-year cycle in October 2026, although there will be no AFCON in 2030 because it is a FIFA World Cup year.
Where is AFCON 2028?
CAF has not announced the host of AFCON 2028 yet.
Is AFCON 2027 still going ahead?
Yes. AFCON 2027 is scheduled for 19 June to 17 July 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the first AFCON co-hosted by three countries.
What happened to the African Nations League?
CAF dropped the plan to replace the two-year AFCON with a new African Nations League, saying it would take several years for the league to generate enough revenue.
More: AFCON 2027 dates & hosts Β· Qualifiers table Β· Tickets