The Africa Cup of Nations will now be played every four years, ending the biennial format of the tournament.
The announcement was made by the CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, in Rabat, during a press briefing on the eve of the AFCON opening in Morocco, which takes place on Sunday, December 21.
The change comes after decades of the tournament being held every two years, with an exception of the 2012 and 2013 editions, that had a one-year interval. It also follows a number of challenges that have been faced with the biennial format. This includes issues with the football calendar.
The new format will come up after the 2027 AFCON in East Africa (to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), and another edition in 2028.
Motsepe disclosed that a new yearly tournament, the African Nations League, will be introduced, with the first edition to take place in 2029. He said the competition will be played in the months of September, October and November.
Another major announcement was the increase of the AFCON prize money this year from 7 million USD to 10 million USD.
