Eric Chelle delighted as CAF opens door to AFCON’s return to two-year cycle

In an exclusive interview with SABC Sport on the sidelines of the CAF Strategy Conference in Santa Maria, on Sal Island, Cape Verde, Nigerian national team head coach Eric Chelle says this decision is a no-brainer. 

Chelle has coached his home country and Nigeria at two consecutive AFCONS (2023 and 2025) and says AFCON every two years is the lifeblood of African football.

"For me, it's perfect because when you want to improve, if you have one tournament every four years, it's difficult. So, now having a tournament every two years is perfect, so we can continue to improve,” Chelle said. 

“We can grow together, we will play two big tournaments instead of the other nations, they will play one tournament. 

“So, this is great for us, we need to play some big international games to improve before the continental World Cup so for me this is the best way. If you speak of life and the economy in Africa, it brings something to the country who organises the tournament. I like this idea."

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Chelle was one of the African national team coaches who took part in the main discussions yesterday, which were focused on the 2026 FIFA World Cup performances of the 10 African teams that were at the World Cup. 

He raised some important points on how African football can become globally competitive.

"It was about the question of when will be the next team in Africa who will win the World Cup. We will try to find the solution and like I said when they gave me the mic, I said first of all we have to stay focused on the pitch,” the coach added.

“To try to create an identity, African identity of football and to work on it and every department run the pitch, medical, physical trainer. Also because now Ai is in football, so we have to continue to improve."