Confusion at the African Confederation
Press reports have revealed opposition from prominent officials within the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to the proposal to return to staging the Africa Cup of Nations every two years, amid a reconsideration of the decision to hold the competition once every four years, which had previously been announced before the start of the 2025 edition.
According to investigative journalist Romain Molina, Ahmed Ould Yahya, president of the Mauritanian Football Federation, and Souleiman Hassan Waberi, president of the Djiboutian Football Federation, both voted against a return to the two-year cycle during discussions within CAF's executive committee.
Why they took that stance remains unclear. The report notes they are a minority on the executive committee, where most members lean towards a biennial tournament because of the money it brings in.
A retreat from holding the tournament every four years
Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, had announced before the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations a move towards holding the tournament every four years instead of every two, with the new system due to be applied from 2028.
Motsepe has since opened the door to a review of that decision, confirming on the sidelines of a strategic conference in Cape Verde last week that a return to the previous system is under study.
It's a clear retreat from the position announced previously. Debate now centres on the economics of a four-year cycle, with supporters of the biennial format arguing that fewer editions will hit CAF's finances hard, given the tournament ranks among its most important sources of revenue.
Conflict of interests behind the change to the Africa Cup of Nations format
Molina's analysis points to political considerations and the balance of international interests as possible factors behind the rethink, alongside the financial calculations tied to the tournament.
The four-year cycle had been seen as a concession to Europe's major clubs, according to the report, with those sides struggling because they must release their African players for international duty mid-season.
Tension between the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) may also have shifted the calculations and revived the previous system, the report adds, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino enjoying CAF's backing.
These developments are tied to the fallout from a disclosed and unrealised project concerning the privatisation of shares linked to the World Cup. The report considers the conflict between world football's power brokers one of the factors reshaping positions on how often the African tournament is staged.
I am the Head of shifts and oversee content. I have over 15 years of experience in sports journalism. I studied media and have worked for a number of Arabic print newspapers and websites, but the most significant milestone in my career was joining Kooora, the leading Arabic sports website, in 2016.
I always strive to provide reliable content, backed by numbers and statistics, free from exaggeration. I love the language of numbers because it knows no flattery. I have covered major soccer events, with a special focus on highlighting Arab soccer stars and their impact on the global stage.
Throughout my career, my work has focused on covering soccer—whether Egyptian, Arab, or international—and my interest has now shifted to Saudi soccer, following the massive boom the Kingdom has experienced over the past few years.
I’ve been connected to soccer since childhood. My first memory of the sport dates back to the 1998 World Cup. Although I was only 8 years old at the time, the excitement of the matches drew me in deeply, and I can’t forget Zinedine Zidane’s brilliance in the final and how he led the French national team to its first title in the tournament.
Brazilian Ronaldo was one of the legends who contributed to my passion for soccer at the start of this century; his goal-scoring style was amazing—he never missed in front of the goal. Then Cristiano Ronaldo emerged, and to this day I consider him my favorite player, because he inspired me with a sense of challenge and an unwavering desire to win, and this has been reflected in my writing style.
My articles focus on coverage of the Saudi Pro League, as well as other leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League. I also follow the transfer market closely and try to analyze the deals.
If you asked me what my fondest soccer memory is, I couldn’t think of anything better than the moment Egypt qualified for the 2018 World Cup—especially since it was our first qualification in 28 years, and the first time I’d ever seen my national team compete in the world’s biggest soccer tournament.
As for my all-time favorite lineup, it is as follows: Iker Casillas in goal. Paolo Maldini, Sergio Ramos, Cafu, and Roberto Carlos on defense. Andrés Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho in midfield. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Ronaldo Nazário up front.
Throughout my career, I’ve published a number of my favorite analyses and articles on Kooora, including:
A massive budget and a disappointing elimination... Why did Al Ahly fail at the Club World Cup?
Concerns over Salah’s rest and the opening of the black file... Will Liverpool regret the Firts deal?
The Benzema Law rules Al-Nassr... Ronaldo charts his future the French way
Alonso solves Klopp’s puzzle… Arnold: from defensive liability to offensive weapon
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