The Africa Cup of Nations has been a thrilling edition, with a vintage 2025-26 tournament that has provided countless memorable moments for fans. From the initial group stage that was packed with late twists, ridiculous goals, and dramatic storylines to the knockout stages where star names stepped forward, every match showcased exceptional footballing prowess.
The semi-finals were particularly notable, as Sadio Mané reminded everyone of his class by scoring a late goal in Egypt's semi-final against Morocco. However, for Morocco, it was a tough experience due to their high expectations on home soil and the Nigeria side's attacking verve deserting them during the match.
This Sunday's final between Africa's two highest-ranked teams promises to be an intense encounter between Senegal, who have been there before and won their first Afcon crown in 2021, and Morocco, carrying the weight of a nation. Given that nobody has won an Afcon final by more than a single goal since the 21st century began, it is likely to go down to penalties.
But what's most concerning here is Caf's decision to switch the tournament to every four years from 2028. The change was announced on the eve of the current edition and several African football federations claim that they were not consulted. Several teams are already dealing with heavy competition schedules, a burden which may be exacerbated by reducing the frequency of Afcon tournaments.
It seems unclear how cutting back one of the world's best international tournaments fits into FIFA's masterplan for more competitions worldwide. Whatever the case, fans across Africa will miss out on thrilling footballing experiences that this tournament provides.
The semi-finals were particularly notable, as Sadio Mané reminded everyone of his class by scoring a late goal in Egypt's semi-final against Morocco. However, for Morocco, it was a tough experience due to their high expectations on home soil and the Nigeria side's attacking verve deserting them during the match.
This Sunday's final between Africa's two highest-ranked teams promises to be an intense encounter between Senegal, who have been there before and won their first Afcon crown in 2021, and Morocco, carrying the weight of a nation. Given that nobody has won an Afcon final by more than a single goal since the 21st century began, it is likely to go down to penalties.
But what's most concerning here is Caf's decision to switch the tournament to every four years from 2028. The change was announced on the eve of the current edition and several African football federations claim that they were not consulted. Several teams are already dealing with heavy competition schedules, a burden which may be exacerbated by reducing the frequency of Afcon tournaments.
It seems unclear how cutting back one of the world's best international tournaments fits into FIFA's masterplan for more competitions worldwide. Whatever the case, fans across Africa will miss out on thrilling footballing experiences that this tournament provides.
! The Africa Cup of Nations is like, so iconic and unpredictable - it's what makes it so amazing 
! What if they don't even know how many teams can participate now? And the logistics alone are gonna be insane 
. I mean, I get it, they wanna revamp the whole thing, but have you seen the current Afcon schedule? It's already packed 
, the better...
. It makes total sense why some teams are already complaining about heavy competition schedules... we all know how exhausting it is for players and teams to juggle multiple tournaments in a short span 
And now, this one of the most exciting international tournaments gets scaled back? 
I mean, what's next? Cutting back on other major competitions too? It doesn't sit well with me that African football federations weren't consulted about this change either... 
Can we just keep Afcon as is and enjoy the beauty of this tournament for a little while longer? 
I mean I love Senegal and Morocco too but the thrill of Afcon is in the fact that we're all rooting for Africa 
. Can't believe they made the decision without even talking to the federations first... pretty shady 
I'm kinda bummed about Caf changing the Africa Cup of Nations' schedule to every 4 years... 
They're basically gonna cut back one of the coolest tournaments in international football! 
What do u guys think about it? Should they stick with the old format or find a new way to balance competitions? 
FIFA needs to think about how this is affecting the grassroots of African football – all these teams are getting burned out trying to compete in multiple tournaments. What's the logic behind cutting back Afcon, anyway? 
. It's like cutting off a part of African football culture you know? The excitement, the drama, the heroes being made on the pitch... it's all gonna be gone or reduced to almost nothing 
