CAF revisits AFCON cycle amid revenue concerns
CAF has reportedly asked its 54 member associations whether AFCON should retain a two-year cycle or move to four years, citing concerns over replacing the tournament’s revenue with a new Nations League competition.
The Confederation of African Football has reportedly consulted its 54 member associations over the frequency of the Africa Cup of Nations, reopening debate about a proposed four-year cycle and its implications for continental football revenues.Associations have been asked to submit their positions by October 28, with the consultation highlighting uncertainty over how quickly a proposed replacement competition could generate meaningful income.According to excerpts attributed to CAF’s letter: “If AFCON moves from every two years to every four years, CAF would need another competition to help generate revenue.”The reported correspondence identifies a proposed pan-African Nations League, envisaged as a competition played every two years, but warns that it could take several years to produce significant revenue for CAF and its members.That concern places the financial transition at the centre of the scheduling debate, rather than treating a change in frequency solely as a sporting or calendar decision.AFCON is an established commercial property, while a new competition would need to build its own audience, broadcast demand and sponsorship proposition.Reducing the frequency of the existing tournament before a replacement reaches commercial maturity could therefore leave CAF managing a gap between established income and anticipated future receipts.The supplied reporting does not quantify that potential gap or provide revenue forecasts for the proposed Nations League.CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced the planned move to a four-year cycle ahead of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, with the change intended to apply from 2028.The proposed sequence would place subsequent editions in 2032 and 2036, but Motsepe later indicated that the executive committee would revisit the issue following debate within African football.The latest consultation suggests the governing body is seeking a clearer assessment of member associations’ preferences before determining the long-term calendar.It should not, however, be treated as confirmation that a reversal has been approved or that the responses constitute a binding vote.A two-year tournament cycle provides more frequent opportunities to sell broadcasting and sponsorship rights and to distribute the resulting income across the game.It also creates more regular hosting opportunities, although participating associations, clubs and players must accommodate the competition within an already congested international schedule.A four-year model would reduce the frequency of those demands and bring AFCON closer to the rhythm of the men’s World Cup and European Championship, but would also alter the commercial inventory available to CAF.The Nations League proposal is intended to address that issue, yet the reported warning about its development period acknowledges that launching a competition does not immediately replicate the value of an established tournament.CAF’s member associations now face a choice involving both the competition calendar and the financial model supporting African national-team football.Responses are due on October 28, with the executive committee’s subsequent decision needed to establish whether the four-year proposal proceeds or the traditional two-year cycle is retained.