Caf's decision to cut short the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) cycle will undoubtedly be met with disappointment and frustration from fans and football enthusiasts across the continent. The governing body for African football announced its intention to switch Afcon to every four years, starting from 2028, on the eve of the tournament.
This change has been met with skepticism by several African federations who claim they were not consulted about the decision. "We're killing ourselves," one anonymous federation official told our publication. This sentiment is echoed by many who fear that reducing the frequency of Afcon will ultimately harm the development of football in Africa.
One would have expected a thorough discussion and consensus among member associations before such an important decision was made, but it seems Caf has instead opted to bypass this process. This move may be seen as another example of how FIFA's priorities can sometimes diverge from those of its member countries.
Critics argue that cutting back on one of the continent's premier international tournaments will not align with FIFA president Gianni Infantino's stated vision for more competitions and football development worldwide. The implications of this change are far-reaching, and it remains to be seen how Caf intends to rectify the situation or address concerns from member associations.
Ultimately, fans who have grown to love Afcon over the years may feel disenchanted by this decision, which could potentially erode the tournament's importance as a celebration of African football heritage. Only time will tell whether this change will be successful in its intended goals or if it marks a turning point for Africa's premier international competition.
This change has been met with skepticism by several African federations who claim they were not consulted about the decision. "We're killing ourselves," one anonymous federation official told our publication. This sentiment is echoed by many who fear that reducing the frequency of Afcon will ultimately harm the development of football in Africa.
One would have expected a thorough discussion and consensus among member associations before such an important decision was made, but it seems Caf has instead opted to bypass this process. This move may be seen as another example of how FIFA's priorities can sometimes diverge from those of its member countries.
Critics argue that cutting back on one of the continent's premier international tournaments will not align with FIFA president Gianni Infantino's stated vision for more competitions and football development worldwide. The implications of this change are far-reaching, and it remains to be seen how Caf intends to rectify the situation or address concerns from member associations.
Ultimately, fans who have grown to love Afcon over the years may feel disenchanted by this decision, which could potentially erode the tournament's importance as a celebration of African football heritage. Only time will tell whether this change will be successful in its intended goals or if it marks a turning point for Africa's premier international competition.
like who doesn't love the excitement and energy of africa cup of nations?! 
seriously though, caf needs to explain why they didn't even consult with all member associations beforehand... it's not like they're just gonna forget about us african fans 
. i get that football is a global thing, but we need our own big events to celebrate and grow the sport locally 
. can't wait to see how this whole situation unfolds tho 
... I mean, i get it, they wanna boost the game and all but cutting it down to every 4 years? That's like cutting short the music festival circuit! 
what about all the fans who make a whole trip out of the tournament every 2 yrs? they'll be left high & dry. And dont even get me started on FIFA - they're always talkin 'bout unity and development but when it comes down to it, its all about the benjamins 
... or in this case, the Afcon trophy 
I feel so bad for those fans who've been looking forward to Afcon all year! Changing the tournament to every four years is gonna suck the excitement out of it 
. And honestly, not being consulted about this decision from all the AFCON member associations just doesn't sit right 
. It's like, we're already worried about our football dev and now we gotta deal with this too? Stressful! 
I hope Caf comes up with a solid plan to make sure the tournament stays strong for its fans. We need Afcon to stay true to its African roots and spirit 
I feel bad for all the fans who have been looking forward to afcon and now it's like, "oh, it's only every 4 years now". That's not what we want to hear! 
The teams need more practice time and less stuff to prepare for. It's just a sad day for football in africa 
what's the point of having more comps if you're just gonna water it down like this? 
i feel so bad 4 all the fans who r passionate about dis tournament 4 years is too short... we need more time 2 prepare 4 big games 
️ what's da point of having big tournaments if u cant enjoy dem 
gotta give caf props 4 tryin but consultation wudve been da way 2 go 
It seems like Caf is prioritizing FIFA's vision over member associations' voices, and that's not cool at all 
. Let's hope Caf can find a way to address the concerns and make this new format work for everyone 
seems like fifa's got some ppl on their payroll lol 
just hope afcon can bounce back from this & still bring that same magic to the continent 
It would be great if Caf could just go back to the drawing board and have another chat with all the member associations before making any big decisions 
Let's keep our fingers crossed that this change doesn't end up harming the beautiful game in Africa 
I'm so bummed about this 
. Cutting it down to every 4 yrs is just too much 
. Can't they just talk to the countries involved and get everyone on the same page 
... and yeah, maybe it is pricey, but isnt that part of why we need more funding & resources for africanc football?