CAF Announces African Nations League Set to Kick Off in 2029

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African football’s governing body, the Confederation of African Football, has introduced plans for a brand-new international tournament that will reshape how national teams compete on the continent.

The upcoming competition, named the African Nations League, is scheduled to begin in 2029 and will feature every national association under CAF.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe explained that the new tournament is designed to create regular, high-quality international matches involving the continent’s best players.

According to him, the project will also encourage African football stars currently playing in Europe and other parts of the world to return more frequently to represent their countries in competitive fixtures.

Format and Structure of the New Competition

The competition will involve all 54 member nations of CAF, but teams will initially compete within regional groups before progressing to a continental final stage.

Instead of operating as a single large tournament, the structure divides participating countries into four geographic zones.

The planned format organizes the teams in the following regional groupings:

Northern Africa: 6 national teams
Eastern Africa: 16 teams
Western Africa: 16 teams
Central & Southern Africa combined: 16 teams

Each zone will conduct its own competition, producing one champion per region.

Those four champions will then advance to a final phase scheduled for November, where they will compete for the overall continental title.

Tournament Calendar

Unlike the Africa Cup of Nations, which traditionally takes place every few years, the African Nations League will be played annually.

CAF intends to schedule the majority of matches during September and October, aligning the fixtures with international football windows recognized by FIFA.

Motsepe suggested that the format could create excitement comparable to a smaller version of AFCON taking place every year.

He highlighted the tournament’s potential to showcase the best African talent regularly while strengthening national team football across the continent.

Partnership with FIFA

CAF also revealed that the new competition will be organized in collaboration with FIFA.

Officials believe the partnership will help improve the tournament’s commercial appeal and attract global sponsorship opportunities.

The governing body hopes that stronger financial backing will boost investment in African football infrastructure and development programs.

Relationship with AFCON’s New Schedule

The introduction of the African Nations League is closely tied to CAF’s recent decision to modify the schedule of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Beginning in 2028, AFCON will move away from its long-standing two-year cycle and instead be staged every four years.

By creating an annual tournament, CAF intends to ensure that national team football on the continent remains active and visible even in years without AFCON.

The strategy is also designed to maintain fan engagement and provide consistent competitive opportunities for national squads.

Commentary and Analysis

The launch of the African Nations League represents one of the most ambitious reforms in African football governance in recent years.

For decades, AFCON has been the centerpiece of continental international competition. However, moving the tournament to a four-year cycle created a potential gap in high-level African national team matches.

The new league could fill that gap by offering frequent competitive fixtures and increasing visibility for African football globally.

Another potential benefit lies in player exposure. Regular international matches could help emerging players gain experience while also allowing established stars to reconnect with fans on the continent.

However, the success of the initiative will likely depend on several factors, including scheduling coordination with European leagues, travel logistics across Africa, and sustained financial investment.

If successfully implemented, the African Nations League could become a defining feature of the continent’s football calendar and further elevate Africa’s presence in global football.