African football is set for a major transformation following the announcement of a new African Nations League and a shift of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from its current biennial schedule to a four-year cycle.
The changes were unveiled on Saturday by Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe during a press conference ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Morocco.
Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 AFCON, scheduled to be co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, will proceed as planned. However, the subsequent tournament, originally slated for 2029, will be brought forward to 2028, with the next edition thereafter set for 2032.
According to Motsepe, the revised calendar will create space for the launch of the African Nations League, which is expected to debut in 2029. The competition will feature all 54 CAF member associations, divided into four geographical zones. Matches will be played during the September and October international windows, with the finals scheduled for November.
Describing the vision behind the new tournament, Motsepe said it would ensure top African players based in Europe and other parts of the world regularly return to the continent to compete. “What is new is that in Africa there’s going to be a competition every year where the best African players who play in Europe and worldwide will be with us on the continent,” he said.
CAF officials did not immediately clarify whether the African Nations League will be staged annually or every two years, leaving details of its long-term format to be announced.
The introduction of the Nations League and the restructuring of AFCON are expected to reshape Africa’s football calendar, potentially increasing competitiveness, commercial value and global visibility for the continent’s national teams.
Melissa Enoch
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