CAF's historic decisions: Africa Cup of Nations every 4 years and increased prize money

In a move described as historic and likely to change the football landscape in Africa, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), announced today (Saturday) a package of unprecedented strategic decisions, following a crucial meeting of the Confederation's Executive Committee held in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

A historic shift: Africa Cup of Nations every 4 years

Among the most prominent decisions announced by Motsepe was a change to the schedule of the Africa Cup of Nations, the continent's most prestigious and lucrative tournament. Starting with the 2028 edition, the tournament will be held every four years, instead of the current biennial format. This decision aligns with global standards for major tournaments like the European Championship (Euro) and the World Cup, giving national teams more time to prepare and reducing scheduling conflicts with domestic leagues.

Ending the European clubs crisis

This decision offers a radical solution to one of the biggest dilemmas facing African football for many years: the ongoing conflict with major European clubs who have expressed their displeasure at losing their African stars mid-season (January and February) every two years. The new four-team format is expected to raise the tournament's technical level, as professional players will be better prepared and more focused, and it will also give host countries ample time to develop their infrastructure and stadiums to the highest international standards.

A huge leap in prize money

In an effort to bolster the financial resources of national federations, the CAF president announced an unprecedented increase in prize money. The prize for the Africa Cup of Nations champion will be raised from $7 million to $10 million. This support extends beyond the champion, however, with a decision to increase annual financial assistance to member associations to $1 million per country. This will provide much-needed funds for developing youth football and women's football across the continent.

The creation of the "African Nations League"

To fill the time gap that will result from the spacing of the Africa Cup of Nations, Motsepe announced the launch of a new tournament called the “African Nations League”, which will be held annually starting in 2029. This tournament, inspired by the successful European experience, aims to maintain the competitive rhythm between African teams, and raise the international ranking of the continent’s teams by increasing the number of official competitive matches instead of friendly matches.

These revolutionary decisions come on the eve of the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco starting tomorrow (Sunday) and continuing until January 18, in an edition that observers expect to be exceptional in terms of organization and technical aspects.