CAF shocks African Football: New African Nations League to replace CHAN as AFCON faces 28-Team expansion and four-year cycle
CAF unveils African Nations League and major AFCON reforms
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced one of the most significant restructurings in the history of African football, unveiling a new African Nations League that will replace the African Nations Championship (CHAN) while also proposing major changes to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The reform, presented after a high-level CAF executive meeting and outlined by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, signals a bold attempt to modernise the continent’s national team calendar, create more competitive fixtures, and allow more African-based and foreign-based stars to feature in continental competitions. The new plan introduces a multi-tiered African Nations League format, while AFCON is set to become a four-year tournament, with a possible expansion from 24 to 28 teams.
What is the African Nations League? CAF introduces a new competition structure
Under the newly announced system, CAF says the African Nations League will replace CHAN and be split into two major formats.
The first is the African Nations League – Continental, which is expected to run annually. This phase will begin with zonal qualifiers, allowing national teams to compete within their regional blocs before the top sides advance to a centralised final tournament. Unlike CHAN, which was limited to players active in domestic leagues, this new model is expected to be open to all eligible players, including African internationals based in Europe and other global leagues.
The second format is the African Nations League – Pan-African, a broader tournament that CAF says will be staged every two years and will closely mirror the current AFCON model. This phase is intended to provide regular, high-level competitive football for national teams while increasing the relevance of continental fixtures outside the traditional AFCON cycle.
CAF says African Nations League will replace CHAN, not AFCON
Despite some early headlines and social media confusion, the new competition is being framed as a replacement for CHAN, not a direct abolition of AFCON.
Reports from The Nation clearly state that the African Nations League will replace the African Nations Championship (CHAN). At the same time, AFCON remains CAF’s flagship competition but is being reworked as part of the broader reforms. Morocco World News also reports that CAF is discussing a dual-format Nations League model while preserving AFCON in a revised form.
That distinction is crucial for fans searching whether “AFCON is being replaced”. Based on the available reports, AFCON is not being scrapped. Instead, CAF appears to be reducing its frequency and potentially expanding its size, while the new Nations League fills the competitive gap between editions.
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AFCON could expand to 28 teams and move to a four-year cycle
CAF’s proposed AFCON revamp is another headline-grabbing part of the announcement.
According to the reports, AFCON is expected to transition from its current rhythm to a four-year cycle, reinforcing its position as the continent’s premier tournament. There is also active consideration of expanding the tournament from 24 teams to 28 teams, which would mark another major growth step after the 2019 expansion from 16 to 24 nations. The Nation reported the 28-team expansion was under consideration, while Morocco World News framed the expansion as part of Motsepe’s stated plan.
However, there is an important timeline detail: Morocco World News reports that the 2027 AFCON in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will proceed as planned, followed by another edition in 2028, before the competition settles into its future four-year cycle. That means the transition may be gradual rather than immediate.
Why CAF says the reforms are necessary
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the reforms are designed to raise standards, offer more competitive opportunities, and align African football more closely with global structures.
The introduction of the African Nations League is expected to solve a long-standing issue in African football: the lack of consistent, meaningful national team fixtures outside AFCON and World Cup qualifying windows. By creating annual and biennial competitions, CAF believes it can improve match sharpness, visibility for players, and commercial value across the continent.
Motsepe also indicated that the new framework would allow top African players based in Europe, Asia, and the Americas to feature more regularly in continental competitions, a shift that could significantly raise the tournament’s profile and quality.
What this means for African football going forward
If fully implemented, the African Nations League could become one of the most transformative changes in modern African football governance.
For federations, it promises more structured competition. For players, it opens the door to more frequent high-level international football. For fans, it could deliver a more predictable and commercially stronger calendar. But questions remain around scheduling, qualification details, tournament hosting, and how the new model will coexist with FIFA windows and other major competitions.
For now, the biggest confirmed takeaway is this: CAF has launched a major competition overhaul, with the African Nations League replacing CHAN, while AFCON is being reshaped, not removed, through possible expansion and a long-term shift toward a four-year cycle.
FAQ
1. What is the African Nations League?
The African Nations League is a newly announced CAF national team competition designed to replace CHAN and create more regular, high-level competitive fixtures for African countries. It is expected to feature a multi-tiered structure, including zonal qualifiers and broader continental phases.
2. Is the African Nations League replacing AFCON?
No, based on current reports, AFCON is not being scrapped. The available coverage indicates that the African Nations League is replacing CHAN, not AFCON. AFCON will continue but is expected to be restructured, potentially with a four-year cycle and 28-team expansion.
3. Is CHAN cancelled?
Effectively, CAF’s reform means CHAN will be replaced by the African Nations League under the new competition framework. The reporting from The Nation specifically states that the African Nations League will replace the African Nations Championship.
4. How will the African Nations League work?
CAF’s proposed format includes:
- African Nations League – Continental: annual competition with zonal qualifiers and a centralised finals setup.
- African Nations League – Pan-African: a broader tournament every two years, similar in structure to AFCON.
This system is intended to provide more consistent competition for national teams across Africa.
5. Can Europe-based African players play in the African Nations League?
Yes, according to the reports, one major difference from CHAN is that the new African Nations League is expected to be open to all eligible players, including those based in Europe and other international leagues. This is a major shift from CHAN’s domestic-player-only rule.
6. Will AFCON expand to 28 teams?
CAF is actively considering or advancing a plan to expand AFCON from 24 teams to 28 teams. Some reports describe it as being “under consideration,” while others frame it as part of Motsepe’s announced strategy. So the direction is clear, but fans should still watch for final implementation details from CAF.
7. Will AFCON now be played every four years?
CAF says AFCON is expected to move toward a four-year cycle, but the shift appears to be phased in. According to Morocco World News, the 2027 AFCON will go ahead as planned, followed by another edition in 2028, before the tournament settles into the new long-term cycle.
8. When is the next AFCON?
Based on the reports, the next AFCON remains scheduled for 2027, to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. A further edition is also expected in 2028 before the competition transitions into a four-year cycle.
9. Why is CAF making these changes?
CAF says the reforms are meant to:
- increase competitiveness,
- create more frequent meaningful fixtures,
- allow more global African talent to participate,
- improve scheduling,
- and align African football more closely with international standards.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe says the goal is to strengthen the overall standard of football on the continent.
10. Who announced the African Nations League?
The competition overhaul was announced by CAF, with details attributed to CAF President Patrice Motsepe following an executive committee meeting.
11. Is the African Nations League confirmed or just a proposal?
The competition overhaul has been announced, but some details, especially around AFCON expansion to 28 teams and the exact rollout of the new calendar, may still require further official clarification from CAF. The broad direction is clear, but fans should expect more implementation details in future CAF communications.
12. Why are fans confused about whether AFCON is being replaced?
The confusion comes from conflicting or simplified headlines. Some reports heavily emphasize the African Nations League and AFCON reforms in the same breath, leading many readers to assume AFCON is being abolished. But the more accurate reading of the available reports is that CHAN is being replaced, while AFCON is being restructured.