how often is the african cup of nations

February 26, 2026 • 1 min read

how often is the african cup of nations

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is traditionally held every two years, but from 2028 it is scheduled to move to a four‑year cycle.

Quick Scoop

Since 1968, AFCON has been a biennial tournament, meaning it takes place every two years.

It was originally aligned with even-numbered years, then shifted to odd-numbered years from 2013 to avoid clashing with the FIFA World Cup and other major events.

In December 2025, CAF announced that after the editions already planned for 2027 and 2028, AFCON will become a quadrennial event, taking place every four years (2032, 2036, etc.).

So, if you’re asking “how often is the African Cup of Nations” right now:

Historically and at present: every 2 years.
From the new cycle starting in 2028: every 4 years, similar to the FIFA World Cup.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.

Kumara

Written by Kumara

"The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries." — This philosophy guides my writing and exploration of ideas.