African football's biggest stage has just wrapped up its latest edition, with some truly vintage moments on display as Senegal take on Morocco in Sunday's highly anticipated final. The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a biennial tournament that often gets overlooked amidst the chaos of domestic league schedules, has delivered another memorable installment.
This year's tournament, which saw some top names shine through, including Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman leading Nigeria to the semi-finals, has been marked by drama, shocking upsets, and unforgettable goals. However, what will be most remembered is the Caf decision to switch Afcon to a four-yearly format from 2028, leaving many in the football world perplexed.
"This decision has already been made months ago," revealed Crystal Palace manager Steve Parish in an interview that sheds light on the behind-the-scenes politics surrounding this major change. "It's the best we could do at the time." Yet, given the Fifa president Gianni Infantino's claims to want more and not less competitions just three years later, it remains unclear how reducing one of the most prestigious tournaments in international football aligns with his stated vision.
Fans have been left scratching their heads as Caf's move was announced on the eve of the tournament without consulting many African federations. When questioned about this lack of transparency, an anonymous source expressed frustration: "We're killing ourselves. If there had been a general assembly, it would never have passed."
As the football world grapples with this unexpected development, one thing is certain – this decision will be debated for years to come.
This year's tournament, which saw some top names shine through, including Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman leading Nigeria to the semi-finals, has been marked by drama, shocking upsets, and unforgettable goals. However, what will be most remembered is the Caf decision to switch Afcon to a four-yearly format from 2028, leaving many in the football world perplexed.
"This decision has already been made months ago," revealed Crystal Palace manager Steve Parish in an interview that sheds light on the behind-the-scenes politics surrounding this major change. "It's the best we could do at the time." Yet, given the Fifa president Gianni Infantino's claims to want more and not less competitions just three years later, it remains unclear how reducing one of the most prestigious tournaments in international football aligns with his stated vision.
Fans have been left scratching their heads as Caf's move was announced on the eve of the tournament without consulting many African federations. When questioned about this lack of transparency, an anonymous source expressed frustration: "We're killing ourselves. If there had been a general assembly, it would never have passed."
As the football world grapples with this unexpected development, one thing is certain – this decision will be debated for years to come.
. If Fifa is all about increasing competitions, then why did Caf just announce a major format change without even consulting most of its member nations? It reeks of backroom deals and a power struggle between the confederation and FIFA 
.
. And let's be real, who gets to decide on such a massive change without even having the decency to have a general assembly with all member nations? 
... changing afcon to a 4-yearly format from next year is just crazy! 
it's all so mysterious. i'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out in the coming years 
... four-yearly tournaments? It's gotta be a tough sell for some of those smaller nations 
I can see why fans are scratching their heads, it feels like Caf just dropped that bomb without even discussing it with everyone involved 
. They're really gonna make us rethink how we approach our international competitions 
It's a lot to take in, I'm no football expert but this decision has me feeling like something's not quite right 
... fans r already getting restless 
. Can't believe Caf didn't even give us a heads up before announcing this change 
fans deserve better than to be blindsided like that. 
. And what's with Fifa being all up in their grill about more competitions? It seems like everyone's just trying to one-up each other 
... I'm not sure what's more concerning, the lack of transparency or the fact that this decision is gonna have such a huge impact on the sport long-term