Why AFCON is conducted every two years instead of four?

Ivory Coast is hosting AFCON 2023

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is a continental competition, but it is contested every two years, unlike the European Championship. The Ivory Coast is hosting the event this year, and it will begin on January 13. The West African nation’s rainy summer along with mild fall weather forced a revision in the event’s initial schedule, which called for June 2023.

The games have been rescheduled for January and February of 2024 due to concerns that the tournament’s credibility may have been compromised by the wet season. Nonetheless, it will continue to be known as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, maintaining the AFCON’s biennial schedule.

However, why is the tournament staged every two years instead of every four, as is customary for the AFC Asian Cup, Euros, and Copa America?

What makes AFCON occur every two years?

Trending World Football Articles:

• Top four players with most goals in 2023
• Top six players with most assists in 2023
• Best goals scored in football in 2023: Ranked
• Top 10 best footballers of 2023: Ranked
• Best football matches of 2023: Ranked

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Patrice Motsepe, has emphasised the tournament’s vital financial importance, highlighting it as the main source of income for the organisation. Motsepe has said in the past that the group “needs the money”.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, proposed in 2020 that the competition be conducted every four years, similar to the Euros.

“I propose to organise the Africa Cup of Nations every four years rather than two years,” he said. “The CAN [Africa Cup of Nations] generates 20 times less than the Euros. Having a CAN every two years, is that good at the commercial level? Has this developed the infrastructure? Think about spending it every four years.

“We have been talking about the development of African football for many years. Pele once said that an African team would win the FIFA World Cup, but this hasn’t happened and it seems we are not making progress.

“I think it’s time to stop talking about the development of African football, and take actions. No African team has won the World Cup. And there is an impression Africa is going backwards.”

One year later, Motsepe was brought up in relation to the FIFA president’s remarks about the Africa Cup of Nations’ schedule. He stated:

“This is one area where there are different views among different people. I have no doubt it has to be every two years.

Motsepe maintained that the confederation’s expansion depended on the revenue produced by the biennial AFCON.

“I have no doubt in my mind that I am not going to be president of an organisation which four years from now has not had significant, tangible, practical, assessable progress — it is not going to happen,” he said.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.