Motsepe signals imminent AFCON decision as member associations join biennial debate

Earlier this week, the office of CAF interim General Secretary (GS) Samson Adamu sent a memo to all 54 CAF member associations, asking them to recommend whether AFCON should take place every two or four years. The deadline for submissions was yesterday, and during a CNN Global Perspectives interview in Qatar today, Motsepe made it clear that they will make a decision that favors African interests.

"I made an announcement a few weeks ago in Cape Verde that we will be reviewing, and there was popular support for going back to two years, which is something that I have always supported, and we will take the right decision. I am very clear in my mind; I have received a lot of correspondence from our member associations on what should happen, to have the AFCON every two years, but a decision will be taken, and I am confident the right decision will be made, and we will announce that decision very soon," said Motsepe.

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In December last year, during the AFCON tournament in Morocco, Motsepe announced that the CAF Exco had resolved to move to a four-year cycle. It was a decision that was not well received on the continent, SABC Sport understands that this decision had also been hugely influenced by Morocco and FIFA, who had promised CAF some funding to compensate for the loss that the continental mother body was to suffer, for losing two years of its cash cow, as AFCON revenue funds all the other tournaments. Motsepe recently announced during the CAF Strategy Conference in Cape Verde that they are revisiting the two-year AFCON plan.

Meanwhile, during this interview, it also emerged that Motsepe could leave CAF as early as next year and not finish his term in 2029. There’s been a lot of speculation about his future, linked to the ruling party in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC), and its elections. The ANC presidential elections are in December next year, and Motsepe was also asked about his future in 18 months.