CAF confirms AFCON four-year cycle, launches Africa Nations League and boosts prize money
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled sweeping reforms to its international competition calendar, confirming that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will move to a four-year cycle while a new Africa Nations League will be introduced from 2028.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe confirmed the changes on Saturday, explaining that the shift is aimed at easing pressure on players and aligning African football more closely with the global calendar.
AFCON, which has traditionally been staged every two years, will retain its current format through the 2027 edition. From then on, the tournament will be held once every four years.
Motsepe said the decision followed extensive consultations with stakeholders, including players and clubs.
“We have had players telling us they want to report for national duty, but their clubs are under pressure to win leagues and competitions,” Motsepe said.
“We have had to make sacrifices to reduce the burden on players.”
Africa Nations League to start in 2028
Alongside the calendar change, CAF will introduce an Africa Nations League, set to begin in 2028 and be played annually during FIFA international windows.
The competition will be organised along regional lines, covering North, West, Central, East and Southern Africa, and is designed to ensure that top African players based in Europe and elsewhere are consistently available for international duty.
Motsepe believes the new tournament will raise standards across the continent.
“The Africa Nations League will ensure Africa has a high-level competition every year,” he said.
“Because it will be played during FIFA windows, our best players will be available, and this will also unlock more commercial revenue.”
AFCON winners to earn record US$10 million
CAF also announced a significant increase in AFCON prize money, with the tournament winners now set to receive US$10 million, representing a 43% rise from the US$7 million paid to the 2023 champions.
The decision was approved by the CAF Executive Committee at a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on the eve of the tournament’s kick-off.
While the winners’ prize has been boosted, payouts for other finishing positions remain unchanged.
New AFCON prize money structure:
Group stage (4th place): US$500,000
Group stage (3rd place): US$700,000
Round of 16: US$800,000
Quarter-finalists: US$1.3 million
Semi-finalists: US$2.5 million
Runners-up: US$4 million
Winners: US$10 million
CAF says the revised prize structure reflects the growing commercial value of African football and is part of a broader strategy to make its competitions more attractive to players, sponsors and broadcasters.