The Confederation of African Football has decided: the Africa Cup of Nations will remain organized every two years, contradicting a previous announcement mentioning a shift to a four-year cycle.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially returned to a biennial rhythm for its flagship competition. This Thursday, the governing body confirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) would continue to be held every two years, ending a period of uncertainty that had followed the announcement of a potential switch to a quadrennial format, scheduled for late 2025.
To justify this choice, the arguments put forward are mainly financial in nature. The CAN generates considerable revenue for the confederation, particularly through television rights, sponsorships, and stadium attendance. A greater spacing between editions would risk diluting this enthusiasm and compromising certain commercial partnerships concluded on the basis of a regular calendar.
However, beyond economic considerations, political factors also come into play. National federations, often eager to maintain their international visibility and benefit from the media exposure linked to the competition, are said to exert constant pressure on CAF. The international calendar, already crowded with World Cup qualifiers and club competitions, also complicates matters.
This decision comes in a context where other continental confederations are reassessing their own formats. FIFA, for its part, sometimes advocates for greater spacing in order to create a gap in the global calendar. CAF nevertheless seems to have favored continuity and the tradition of a competition that has set the pace for African football for decades.
The next editions of the CAN should therefore maintain their current frequency, offering national team coaches and players a regular meeting with supporters across the continent.
To justify this choice, the arguments put forward are mainly financial in nature. The CAN generates considerable revenue for the confederation, particularly through television rights, sponsorships, and stadium attendance. A greater spacing between editions would risk diluting this enthusiasm and compromising certain commercial partnerships concluded on the basis of a regular calendar.
However, beyond economic considerations, political factors also come into play. National federations, often eager to maintain their international visibility and benefit from the media exposure linked to the competition, are said to exert constant pressure on CAF. The international calendar, already crowded with World Cup qualifiers and club competitions, also complicates matters.
This decision comes in a context where other continental confederations are reassessing their own formats. FIFA, for its part, sometimes advocates for greater spacing in order to create a gap in the global calendar. CAF nevertheless seems to have favored continuity and the tradition of a competition that has set the pace for African football for decades.
The next editions of the CAN should therefore maintain their current frequency, offering national team coaches and players a regular meeting with supporters across the continent.
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Source: Ouest-France