On the eve of AFCON in 2025, African football’s governing body will create a new four-year cycle and form the Nations League.
Published December 20, 2025
African football is undergoing major changes with the creation of the African Nations League and the shift from a biennial African Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle.
Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe announced the changes on Saturday at a press conference ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup, hosted by Morocco.
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Motsepe said the 2027 Africa Cup, hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, would go ahead as planned, while the next tournament, originally scheduled for 2029, would be moved forward to 2028. The next African Cup will be in 2032.
This means the first African Nations League will be held in 2029. Motsepe said the African Nations League will involve 54 member nations from across the continent, divided into four geographical zones, with matches to be played in September and October, with the final to be held in November.
“What’s new is… every year in Africa we have a tournament where the best African players who play in Europe and around the world come together with us on the continent,” Motsepe said.
CAF officials did not immediately say whether the African Nations League would be held every other year or every year.
