In a significant change from what is currently a biennial showpiece, African football chief Patrice Motsepe announced on Saturday that the Africa Cup of Nations will be held every four years following an edition planned for 2028.
The president of the Confederation of African Football explained the change as part of a significant change that the continent’s international game has to accommodate in a busy global calendar.
Motsepe claimed that the introduction of an annual African Nations League competition, similar to the UEFA Nations League, would now help raise funds. An AFCON every two years was a crucial source of revenue for African national associations.
On the eve of the opening game of this year’s Morocco-hosted Cup of Nations, Motsepe said to reporters in Rabat on Saturday, “Our focus is now on this AFCON, but we will also be going to Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, and the AFCON after that will be in 2028.”
The first African Nations League will follow the FIFA Club World Cup in 2029, with more resources, prizes, and competition.
The AFCON will now take place once every four years as part of this arrangement.
Since its initial incarnation in 1957, The Cup of Nations has typically been held every two years, but over the past 15 years it has struggled to find a convenient location on the global calendar.
The eighth tournament to take place in Morocco will be this year, joining Equatorial Guinea and Gabon from 2012, which were the first two years before.
Source: Channels TV
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