By Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has fundamentally altered the landscape of the continent’s sport. Starting in 2028, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will transition from a biennial event to a quadrennial one. This move aligns the tournament with the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship. To bridge the gap, CAF will launch an annual African Nations League in 2029.
The decision marks a pivot toward global synchronization and financial sustainability. For decades, the two-year cycle provided 80% of CAF’s revenue but sparked relentless friction with European clubs. Now, the new structure aims to appease global stakeholders while maintaining a yearly flow of income through the Nations League.
A New Era of Financial Independence
CAF President Patrice Motsepe emphasized that this shift is about long-term survival. He noted the organization would no longer rely on a single tournament every two years. “Historically the Nations Cup was the prime resource for us but now we will get financial resources every year,” Motsepe said during the announcement in Rabat, Morocco, yesterday, Saturday, December 20.
To sweeten the deal, CAF increased the winners’ prize money for the 35th edition to $10 million (approx. GH₵ 114.86 million), up from $7 million (approx. GH₵ 80.40 million). Furthermore, CAF will grant $1 million (approx. GH₵ 11.49 million) to each national federation to support grassroots development.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised the move as a way to “project African football to the top of the world.” FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström confirmed FIFA would coordinate the calendar to end the “tug of loyalty” between clubs and countries.
The African Nations League Solution
The 2029 launch of the African Nations League is designed to keep stars visible on home soil annually. The competition will feature all 54 member nations divided into four geographical zones (North, East, West, and Central/Southern). “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,” Motsepe explained.
Matches are expected to occupy the September and October international windows, with the regional champions meeting in November for a final showdown. This mirrors the UEFA format, turning friendlies into a high-stakes “equivalent of an AFCON every year.”
The “Rabat Revolution”: Kickoff in the Shadow of Change
The timing of this historic announcement has transformed the 35th edition of the tournament before a single ball was even kicked. Motsepe revealed these sweeping changes just yesterday, turning today’s kickoff, Sunday, December 21, into a bittersweet milestone. As host nation Morocco prepares to face Comoros tonight at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, the atmosphere is one of dual significance. Fans are not just celebrating the start of a month-long festival; they are witnessing the beginning of the end for the biennial AFCON. By announcing the shift on the eve of the tournament, CAF has effectively branded Morocco 2025 as the gateway to a more exclusive, premium era of African football.
Voices from the Continent: A Divided Consensus
The announcement has split the African football community, ranging from technical scouts who see a professional evolution to fans who feel a piece of their identity is being traded for commercial gain.
Supporting the move from a technical perspective, Malian scout Idrissa Diarra views the change as a relief for modern athletes: “This is the professional path we’ve needed. The two-year cycle was exhausting for players. Moving to four years gives the Cup more prestige, like the Euros, and the Nations League keeps the smaller nations active.”
Conversely, at the grassroots level, many feel the continental spirit is being diluted in favor of global convenience. Ekow Baidoo, a regular at the Accra Sports Stadium, contends that the change prioritizes foreign interests over local passion: “They are killing our culture to please Europe. AFCON every two years was the only time the world truly looked at us. Now, we are just another date on FIFA’s calendar. The Nations League is just ‘AFCON Lite’.”
Occupying the middle ground, Nigerian sports journalist Amaka Okafor points to the uncertainty of the new format’s execution: “I see both sides. Financially, CAF needs this. But as a fan, I worry the ‘magic’ of the tournament will fade if we have to wait four years. It all depends on how serious the Nations League is taken.”
Mixed Reactions and “Nonsense” Scheduling
While administrators celebrate, those on the pitch are fuming. A major point of contention is the current 2025 schedule, which saw FIFA push the player release date to December 15, just six days before tonight’s kickoff.
Angola’s coach, Patrice Beaumelle, was blunt about the lack of preparation time: “Releasing a player on the 15th for an AFCON that kicks off on the 21st… it’s nonsense. You can’t prepare a serious team in just two or three sessions.” Benin coach Gernot Rohr echoed this, adding: “There is a serious lack of respect that is being shown to the AFCON.”
Ghana’s Darkest Hour and the Long Road Back
For Ghana, this overhaul is a bitter pill. The Black Stars are absent from Morocco 2025, their first miss in 20 years. Their fate was sealed in a 1-1 draw against Angola in Luanda during the qualifiers, where a late equalizer crushed Ghanaian hopes and left them bottom of Group F with zero wins—a performance described by local media as a “national disaster.”
Addressing the national disaster, head coach Otto Addo took responsibility but noted the shifting reality: “I know for a lot of people, the World Cup is bigger than the AFCON, but for us, the AFCON is bigger. It’s been very difficult, but we have to move forward. The margin for error has disappeared.”
The move to a four-year cycle means if Ghana fails in 2027 or 2028, they will be locked out of the continental trophy until 2032. “The failure to qualify is a wake-up call,” says analyst Jerome Otchere. “The margin for error has disappeared.”
Modernization or Marginalization?
This transition represents the most daring gamble in the history of African sport. By moving to a quadrennial cycle, CAF is betting that “less is more”—that a rarer AFCON will command higher broadcast rights and greater global prestige. Yet, the success of this revolution hinges entirely on the African Nations League. If that tournament fails to capture the imagination of the fans, CAF risks trading its soul for a seat at FIFA’s high table. Whether this move secures Africa’s footballing independence or merely synchronizes its submission to European interests remains the continent’s most pressing question.
