AFCON Four-Year Format: New Era for African Football?

Looking at towards the future of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Confederation of African Football made a bold decision to change the tournament to an AFCON Four-Year Format, starting in ’28.

The biennial system has been in place since the first AFCON in 1968, and the idea here is to reduce fixture congestion, improve player welfare and to push the calendar more in line with global standards.

The Historic Shift to a Four-Year AFCON Format

This new four-year format, is a monumental change, and reverses the traditional biennial AFCON that has been around since 1968, apart from the 2012-2013 edition. The reorganization will, however, bring African football in line with the likes of the FIFA World Cup and the European Championship.

CAF’s Landmark Announcement

The four-year format will severely affect the way the continent develops its football, and Motsepe’s statement shows that he is committed to positioning AFCON in line with the global calendar that includes the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.

Timeline for Implementation

2027 AFCON will be held in Kenya and Tanzania. It is the last tournament played on the traditional two-year cycle. The 2029 edition in Uganda kicks off a new four-year rhythm – the next tournaments being in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and so on.

This four-year format is a huge departure from the past sixty-eight years, and some have argued that CAF has given in to pressure from others, but, according to Motsepe, the necessary change will put African football on the map.

Understanding the AFCON Four-Year Format Decision

Moving AFCON to a four-year format was a major step in African football. The game is moving into a new era, where understanding why is important.

The classic dispute between clubs and national teams under the old system is likely to fade away, and a new AFCON schedule will be a welcome relief.

Club vs. Country Conflicts

European clubs have been complaining for years about the loss of their African stars at a crucial mid-season period, and tensions between footballing commitments and personal obligations rise. 

The move to a four-year AFCON format is seen as a way that CAF are looking to cut down on what’s being put on the players shoulders.

Alignment with Global Football Calendar

It was done in an attempt to put African football in sync with the rest of the world when the new AFCON format was announced. Coming running over on the heels of FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup and other international competitions, this change is expected to sort out the messy overlaps between club and international football.

A well-known problem for national team coaches has been getting players back from their clubs in time for the start of the tournament, something that the new system is going to try to prevent. CAF is also counting on the synchronised AFCON calendar to send the tournament to new heights of prestige and commercial value.

The new format, designed in four-year formats, will provide relief to players who were previously burdened by back-to-back major tournaments. It is also expected to enhance the commercial value of AFCON, making it a more attractive and competitive event.

Introduction of the African Nations League

The African Nations League, ready to debut in ’29, promises to shake up the scene. This is basically a plan to put the African football world back on the map and put the continent’s football at previously unseen heights.

Aiming to fill the FIFA-designated windows of September, October and November, and with the financial backing of FIFA, CAF are hunting for the biggest brands to sponsor this brand-new tournament.

The African Nations League will be a revolutionary shift in African football. It will give smaller nations more time in the limelight and mean that they’ll be facing each other head-to-head on a regular basis.

As per CAF President Motsepe, the African Nations League is roughly the equivalent of the AFCON every year and will become the new standard for international football in Africa.

Structure and Format of the New Competition

All 54 member associations of the CAF will participate in the African Nations League, which will divide into four regional zones. The Northern Zone has six teams; the Eastern, Western, Central, and Southern zones have sixteen each.

Coming from the UEFA Nations League, the competition is going to have a tiered setup with a system of being promoted and relegated, much like the European version. Known for providing more competitive matches than standard friendlies, the African Nations League could serve as a pathway to major tournament qualification.

Organised on the basis of the teams’ rankings, the competition will make sure that teams are pitched against others of roughly the same level.

Zone	Number of Teams
Northern Zone	6
Eastern Zone	16
Western Zone	16
Central Zone	16
Southern Zone	16

Financial Implications of the New Format

It shook the African football scene when the CAF decided to go for an AFCON four-year format. As we enter a new era, it’s crucial to understand the reasons behind this change.

The well-known rivalries between club and national teams, once a defining feature of the previous system, are expected to disappear. The reduced schedule has been implemented to invigorate the tournament.

Increased Prize Money for AFCON

It was a boost to the football scene when the CAF announced the prize money for AFCON 2025. Coming running over off the heels of the 2023 tournament, the AFCON 2025 winners will now receive $10 million, a 43% increase from the last time around and twice the amount given out in 2021.

This increase in prize money demonstrates the CAF’s commitment to making the AFCON the most attractive football tournament in the region. The runners-up will get $4 million, and semi-finalists will pocket $2.5 million, all of which is a lot more than they were getting before.

Commercial Opportunities and FIFA Partnership

The face of African football will change, and the possibilities for the financial growth of the sport on the continent will be unleashed when the African Nations League is finally launched.

Coming running over out of the heels of a partnership with FIFA, this initiative has the potential to harness FIFA’s global influence, drawing in top international sponsors to the world of African football.

The money earned from the African Nations League will be channeled towards infrastructure development, building stadiums, and grassroots football programs in all 54 CAF member countries.

The AFCON four-year format, coupled with the annual Nations League, presents a more stable financial basis for African football and promises to pump up the value of the sport.

Mixed Reactions to African Football’s New Era

When CAF President Patrice Motsepe laid out his four-year AFCON plan, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Egypt’s Hany Abo Rida gave him a huge vote of confidence, but other members aren’t happy.

The Gambia’s Bakary Gagaga, South Africa’s Danny Jordaan, and Mali’s Boubakary Doumbia are at the forefront of the criticism. They feel that the federation has crumbled under the pressure of Europe and FIFA, forgetting the interests of African teams.

However, the European football clubs and player unions are extremely excited about this change, as they believe it resolves the issue of biennial scheduling, which has been a major hindrance to their operations.

The next two AFCONs, in 2025 and 2027, and over time it will be clear just how much this change is going to raise the standing of African football in the world.