The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will go back to being played every two years. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said its Executive Committee made the decision unanimously on Thursday 29 October, scrapping the plan it adopted last year to hold the tournament only every four years.

"The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee today unanimously decided that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations will return to taking place every Two Years," CAF said in its statement, as quoted by Reuters.

The dates

The next finals are in 2027, co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, EWN and Reuters reported. After that, AFCON is scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033.

There will be no tournament in 2030, the year of the FIFA World Cup. Reuters noted that CAF is keeping its tradition of not staging AFCON in a World Cup year.

Why CAF changed its mind

Under the four-year plan, a new Africa Nations League would have become the continent's competition played every two years, with AFCON moving to a longer cycle, Reuters reported. The change, announced last December, was not widely welcomed, according to Reuters.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the Nations League would take several years to bring in the large sums of money needed to develop African football and make it competitive globally, EWN reported. He had already signalled a rethink at CAF's strategy conference in Cabo Verde earlier this month, held from 7 to 9 October.

Motsepe said bringing back the two-year cycle was meant to "advance, protect and promote the interests of African football and the 54 CAF Member Associations, as well as those of African players playing for clubs outside the continent," Reuters reported. EWN quoted him describing AFCON as more than a football competition and a celebration of Africa's cultures and people.

Zimbabwean readers also saw the news on Pindula, which reported that CAF had reverted to a two-year cycle and dropped the four-year plan.

What it means for the Warriors

For Zimbabwe, the maths is simple. A four-year cycle would have meant fewer finals to aim for over the next decade. With AFCON back to every two years, there are four tournaments scheduled between 2027 and 2033, and each one is another chance for the Warriors to qualify.

For fans at home and in the diaspora, it also means more regular moments when the whole country, wherever it lives, gets behind one team. And for Zimbabwean players at clubs abroad, it keeps a regular continental stage in view, the group Motsepe specifically mentioned.

More tournaments do not guarantee a place, of course. Qualifying still has to be won on the pitch.

What we don't know yet

How the qualifying calendar for 2028 and later editions will be set out.

Who will host the 2028, 2031 and 2033 finals.

What happens to the proposed Africa Nations League now.

We will update this story as CAF publishes more detail.

Sources: CAF, 29 Oct 2026: https://www.cafonline.com/inside-caf/news/caf-decides-to-return-to-the-afcon-taking-place-every-two-years/ · Reuters via The Star, 30 Oct 2026: https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2026/10/30/soccer-caf-reverses-decision-keeps-afcon-biennial · EWN, 30 Oct 2026: https://www.ewn.co.za/2026/10/30/afcon-returns-to-two-year-cycle-as-caf-reverses-four-year-plan · Pindula, 30 Oct 2026: https://news.pindula.co.zw/2026/10/30/caf-reverts-to-two-year-afcon-cycle-and-scraps-four-year-plan/

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