AFCON has been played every two years since 1968, except for a short gap between the 2012 and 2013 editions. The 2027 finals will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, followed by another edition in 2028. After that, the tournament will move to a four-year cycle.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe also revealed that CAF will launch an African Nations League from 2029. The new competition will be held every year and is expected to keep African football active between AFCON tournaments.

CAF has also increased the prize money for AFCON winners from $7 million to $10 million. The announcement was made after a CAF executive committee meeting in Morocco, just before the start of the 2025 finals in Rabat.

The two-year AFCON schedule has long created problems for clubs, as many tournaments were held during the European season. Despite this, CAF continued with the format due to the revenue it generated for African football development.

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CAF earlier planned to hold AFCON in June and July 2019, starting with Egypt. However, COVID-19 and weather issues forced the 2021 and 2023 tournaments in Cameroon and the Ivory Coast to be played in January and February.

This year’s AFCON in Morocco will be played during Christmas and the New Year for the first time, with the final set for 18 January. Dates for the 2027 tournament are still undecided, while hosts for AFCON 2028 have yet to be named.

Motsepe said the decision was taken after talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA’s general secretary Mattias Grafstrom, adding that CAF "has to compromise".