Caf's shocking decision to switch the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) to every four years has left many in the football community baffled and disappointed. The change was announced on the eve of the 2025 tournament, with several African football federations claiming they were not consulted.
The move is particularly galling given the Afcon's rich history and its status as one of the premier international club tournaments. The 2025 edition has been hailed as a vintage affair, with exciting matches, memorable moments, and a sense of occasion that is hard to find in modern football.
From late twists and dramatic storylines to historic victories and standout performances, this year's tournament has been a true celebration of African football. Stars like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman led their teams to impressive victories, while others, such as Morocco and Senegal, demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.
The fact that nobody has won an Afcon final by more than a single goal since 2008 only adds to the sense of drama and unpredictability that this year's tournament has brought. As such, it is hard to fathom how Caf could justify switching the tournament to every four years.
It seems that Fifa president Gianni Infantino first pushed for the change in 2020, citing a desire for more competitions. However, it appears that the Fifa chief was being selective with his language, as cutting back one of the planet's best international tournaments hardly fits the bill.
The Caf decision has already been met with widespread criticism from fans and football insiders alike. It remains to be seen how this change will affect the future of African football, but one thing is certain: this year's Afcon will be remembered for years to come as a classic tournament that was cruelly snatched away from us.
The real question now is what the future holds for Caf and the Afcon. Will they find a way to revamp the tournament to make it more competitive and exciting, or will we simply see it become another footnote in the history books?
The move is particularly galling given the Afcon's rich history and its status as one of the premier international club tournaments. The 2025 edition has been hailed as a vintage affair, with exciting matches, memorable moments, and a sense of occasion that is hard to find in modern football.
From late twists and dramatic storylines to historic victories and standout performances, this year's tournament has been a true celebration of African football. Stars like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman led their teams to impressive victories, while others, such as Morocco and Senegal, demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.
The fact that nobody has won an Afcon final by more than a single goal since 2008 only adds to the sense of drama and unpredictability that this year's tournament has brought. As such, it is hard to fathom how Caf could justify switching the tournament to every four years.
It seems that Fifa president Gianni Infantino first pushed for the change in 2020, citing a desire for more competitions. However, it appears that the Fifa chief was being selective with his language, as cutting back one of the planet's best international tournaments hardly fits the bill.
The Caf decision has already been met with widespread criticism from fans and football insiders alike. It remains to be seen how this change will affect the future of African football, but one thing is certain: this year's Afcon will be remembered for years to come as a classic tournament that was cruelly snatched away from us.
The real question now is what the future holds for Caf and the Afcon. Will they find a way to revamp the tournament to make it more competitive and exciting, or will we simply see it become another footnote in the history books?
I'm literally still trying to process this news! Switching the Afcon to every four years is just crazy talk 
. It's like they're gonna suck the excitement outta the tournament! The 2025 edition was already shaping up to be a classic, and now it's all being taken away from us 
.
. And what's with the lack of consultation from African football federations?! It's a total betrayal 
.
I don't know, man. This could be a major blow to African football 
. Fingers crossed they change their minds soon! 
.
. Can the Caf and FIFA make it work, or is this the end of an era? Only time will tell 
.
so what was the point of changing it to every 4 years?? seems like fifa is trying to control every single thing in football but honestly its not needed rn 
its gonna be super sad for african football if they just wanna abandon this legacy tournament 
i mean u cant put a price on excitement and drama when the best teams are competing 
and what's up with fifa trying to change it every 4 years anyway? that just seems like a way for them to reduce competition and not give african teams a fair shot 
i hope caf can figure out how to make the afcon more exciting without switching it up too much, otherwise it'll be like they're playing with a short game clock 
It's not just about the tournament itself, but about all the amazing memories that are being lost forever. The drama, the excitement, the historic moments... it's like they're erasing a part of African football history 
! And don't even get me started on the fact that nobody won an Afcon final by more than 1 goal since 2008... that's what made this year's tournament so special! 
. Anyway, I just hope Caf can find a way to revamp the Afcon and make it more competitive and exciting... or else we'll be saying goodbye to an iconic tournament that will be remembered for years to come 
.
. Maybe it's time for them to take some lessons from other successful tournaments and revamp their format? 
what if teams get rusty? or dont have enough time to prepare for the big game? 
cant wait to see how this all plays out in the future 
️. It's not like it's a tiny little competition that needs to be constantly revamped.
. If they're looking for ways to make the tournament more competitive, why not try something like a mini-tournament format or a play-off system? That way, the best teams can still compete against each other, but without having to adjust the entire calendar 
.
. And what's up with the lack of consultation? 
. I'm still hoping that Caf will find a way to revamp it and make it as epic as it has been in the past 
. And now it's all being taken away from us? Not cool 
I hope Caf rethinks their decision and makes it a regular thing again 
. The drama, the excitement, the upsets... all gone? 
This change might make the tournament more competitive in the long run, but for now, it feels like Caf is taking away a piece of our culture 
.
. You can't just cut back on something that's so good for African football. And what's with this whole "more competitions" thing? Does FIFA really think we need more to watch? I'm so down for a bi-annual Afcon, or even better, let's make it annual and keep the magic alive