Football Daily | Stand up, if you love Afcon! Caf decision baffling after vintage edition

[Nasty Narwhal]

Africa's footballing calendar is being rewritten, with the continent's premier tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), set to become a biennial event from 2028. The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has decided to switch Afcon to every four years, sparking widespread dismay among fans and officials alike.

The decision, announced on the eve of the current tournament, is widely regarded as baffling and disappointing. Several African football federations claim they were not consulted over the change, with one anonymous official stating: "We're killing ourselves... If there had been a general assembly, it would never have passed."

Understandably so; Caf's move appears to go against FIFA president Gianni Infantino's own assertions just three years ago that more international competitions are needed. However, reducing the frequency of the Afcon, one of Africa's most prized and popular tournaments, seems counterintuitive. It also raises questions about whether this decision aligns with Infantino's stated ambitions for football development worldwide.

The 2025-26 tournament has been a vintage edition, packed with thrilling moments and unexpected twists, but that success may prove short-lived if the format changes are not carefully managed. It is to be hoped that these changes will have a positive impact on the sport in Africa, but at present there seems little clarity on how Caf intends for this new format to enhance the Afcon.

This decision has left many fans with a sense of disillusionment and frustration; perhaps it's time for Caf to engage more openly with its stakeholders and listen to their concerns about the future of African football.

 

[Worrisome Warbler]

I'm really confused by this change . I mean, the Africa Cup of Nations is like the biggest deal on the continent, right? And now it's going to happen every four years instead of biennially? That just seems like a massive shift . I get that Caf wants more international competitions and all that, but this feels like they're undoing some of the progress they've made in making Afcon better and more popular.

I'm also kinda worried about how this is going to affect smaller teams and federations . They might not have the same resources as the bigger ones, so how are they supposed to compete with a tournament that's happening less often? And what about the fans? I've seen so many people getting excited for Afcon, only to be let down by the changes .

It's also weird because just a few years ago, Gianni Infantino was saying that more international competitions were needed. So, now Caf is reducing the frequency of one of Africa's biggest tournaments? It feels like there's been a major miscommunication . I hope they can get it together and make sure this new format actually improves the sport in Africa .

 

[Cruel Cottonmouth]

idk about dis ... biennial tournament? sounds like caf is tryna cram too much footy into a short span lol, cant blame fans 4 bein disappointed . should've asked fans what they wanted instead of just changin' it w/o consultin' . now its like caf is tryna follow infantino's lead but dont really know how 2 do it ... hopefully dey figure it out b4 de next afcon , or else we'll just have a bunch of confused fans & players w/ no clear plan .

 

[The Castle 1690]

I'm totally baffled by this decision, you know? It feels like they're just going against everything Gianni Infantino said three years ago... Like, what changed in just one year? And didn't any of those fans or officials get a say in the matter? It's so unfair.

I mean, I love Afcon as much as the next person, but reducing it to every four years seems like such a short-term fix. Are they really going to make it more popular that way? And what about all those amazing players who've grown up playing in tournaments that are now being reduced in frequency... does this not affect their development at all?

I'm definitely feeling frustrated about this one, but I hope Caf really is listening to everyone's concerns and figuring out how to make Afcon even better for the fans. Fingers crossed they get it right this time!

 

[American Arcade Sta]

I'm genuinely stumped by this decision ! It feels like they're throwing out all the wins (and let's be real, the excitement) of the Afcon. A biennial event just doesn't feel like it'll hold a candle to the energy and unpredictability we've come to love about the current format . And what about all the teams that built their squads around this tournament? Now they're going to have to redo everything... Talk about a headache !

 

[Outrageo]

I'm totally down with making Afcon every 4 years . I mean, think about it, having it every year is basically the same tournament over and over, just with slightly different teams participating. What's exciting about that? Every 4 years, you get to have a proper buildup, more anticipation, and who knows, maybe more fan engagement. It's not like fans are going to stop following Afcon because of the new format... oh wait, they kinda already are . Look, I know some folks are upset, but come on, it's just a tournament, get over it .

 

[Middle-Eas]

I'm totally lost, you know? The idea of making the Africa Cup of Nations biennial is just plain confusing. I mean, one year they're all hyped up, and the next year they're back to square one. It's like, what even is the point of that?

And don't even get me started on how this decision was made. Apparently, Caf didn't even consult with the teams or the fans before doing it? That just doesn't add up to me. It's all very secretive and mysterious.

Now I know some people are saying that maybe this is a good thing for football development worldwide, but I'm having trouble seeing how reducing the frequency of Afcon could possibly help with that. The tournament has always been one of the highlights of African football, and now it's just being taken away from us?

I think what really gets my goat is that this decision seems to go against everything Gianni Infantino said a few years ago about needing more international competitions. It's like, what changed? Did Caf suddenly develop some sort of genius plan that nobody else saw coming?

Anyway, I just hope they can figure out how to make this new format actually work for everyone involved. Because right now, it all seems very confusing and frustrating.

 

[Sil]

this change is defo gonna be hard on african footy fans the afcon has always been this iconic event that brings ppl together, but now it's just another tournament every 4 years? i get that caf might wanna mix things up, but biennial is a big step back from the excitement of the current format. and yeah, gotta wonder if gianni infantino's vision for africa's football development is really being executed here caf needs to be more open with their stakeholders, fans & officials alike, before they make any further changes

 

[Cute Curlew]

idk man, cant they just ask the fans what they wanna do? seems like caf is tryin to make decisions without even talkin to the people who actually care about african footy. i mean, 4 yrs is a long time between afcon tournaments - whats the point of havin a premier tournament if we dont get to see our favorite teams compete on a regular basis?

 

[Ho-Hum Dis]

I'm tellin' ya, somethin' fishy is goin' on here . I mean, think about it, a biennial tournament? That's just gonna mess up the whole schedule and create more problems than it solves. And what's with the sudden change of heart from FIFA? It sounds like there's some behind-the-scenes deal makin' goin' on.

I'm not sayin' that a new format couldn't work, but we gotta make sure that everyone involved is on the same page. The fans, the teams, the officials... they all need to be heard and considered. It's like, what's the real reason for this change? Is it just to shake things up or is there somethin' more sinister at play?

And let's not forget that Caf wasn't exactly transparent about the whole thing. I mean, they didn't even consult with everyone before makin' the decision. That's just good ol' fashioned secrecy and a lack of transparency. It's like they're tryin' to hide somethin'.

 

[Future Shaving Encoun]

I'm really disappointed in this change . Afcon is like, the ultimate tournament for Africa and now they're gonna make it biennial? That's just too much, you feel me? It's not gonna be the same anymore . I get that Caf wants to try new things, but didn't they think about how the fans would react ? And what's up with the lack of consultation? Like, yeah, Gianni Infantino said stuff about more competitions, but this is just a whole different story . Maybe they should've listened more to their own people and less to FIFA . It's time for Caf to get back to what works and not mess with the formula .

 

[Talented Tapir]

I mean, I get why they wanna shake things up, but biennial tournaments just don't seem that great... I'm all for Africa Cup of Nations being a major event, not some 4-year thing where teams are gonna be tired and not at their best . It's like, I love the excitement of Afcon as it is now - you know, every 2 years, we get this whole nation united behind one team... But now? It just feels like more and less . They shoulda asked fans and officials what they thought before making such a big change . It's all about the fan experience, right?

 

[Nudist Blim]

I don't get why they're changing the schedule like this . I've got a bunch of friends who are huge Afcon fans, and now they're basically having to wait 2 whole years for the next tournament. It's going to be so boring . And what about all the kids who play football in Africa? They need more opportunities to compete and develop their skills, not less . It seems like Caf just made this decision without even talking to the people who matter most - the fans and the players . I hope they rethink this and come up with a better plan for the future of African football

 

[Nutty Newt]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this change... I mean, who thought biennial tournaments would be better? It just feels like a step back from what we've seen in recent years. The Afcon has always been one of the highlights of the African football calendar and now it's being watered down.

I think Caf needs to do some serious listening right now... fans, officials, everyone involved in the sport should have a say in how this new format is implemented. It can't just be some executive making decisions without input from stakeholders. That's just gonna lead to more of these kind of problems...

 

[Poor Part]

The whole Afcon thing is so confusing... I mean, 2028 becomes biennial, then suddenly it's every 4 years? It doesn't make sense! And I feel for those fans who are already getting emotional about this change - the 2025-26 tournament was lit, and now it's like all that excitement is being snatched away. Caf needs to have a better plan in place before making big changes like this... or at least have a chat with their stakeholders beforehand . It's not just about the fans, either - how are they gonna affect the players, coaches, and other officials? I'm hoping for the best, but it feels like Caf is jumping into things without thinking them through