African football is set for a historic transformation following the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s announcement of a new African Nations League and a restructuring of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) calendar.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe unveiled the changes on Saturday during a press conference ahead of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco. He confirmed that the 2027 AFCON, co‑hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, will proceed as planned.
However, the next edition, originally slated for 2029, will now be held in 2028, with the following tournament scheduled for 2032.
The adjustment creates space for the debut of the African Nations League in 2029, featuring all 54 CAF member associations divided into four geographical zones.
Matches will be played during the September and October international windows, with finals in November.
Motsepe explained that the Nations League will ensure top African players based in Europe and beyond regularly return to the continent to compete.
“What is new is that in Africa 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,” he said.
CAF officials have yet to clarify whether the Nations League will be staged annually or biennially, leaving its long‑term format open.
The introduction of the Nations League, alongside AFCON’s shift to a four‑year cycle, will reshape Africa’s football calendar, boosting competitiveness, commercial value, and global visibility for national teams.
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