In the meantime, Caf has elevated the prize cash for the winners of Afcon from $7m (£5.2m) to $10m (£7.5m).

The shock announcement about the way forward for Afcon was made by Motsepe after a gathering of Caf’s govt committee in Morocco earlier than the beginning of the 2025 finals in Rabat on Sunday.

The biennial internet hosting of Afcon has lengthy induced points with the soccer calendar, with the overwhelming majority of latest tournaments held halfway by means of the European membership season.

Nevertheless, Caf remained dedicated to scheduling the event each two years – not least because it wants the income raised from the finals to reinvest within the recreation on the continent.

Caf had made a decision for Afcon to be held in a June-July slot from 2019 onwards and commenced its new plan in Egypt that 12 months.

However the Covid-19 pandemic and climate situations in host nations in Central and West Africa meant the 2021 and 2023 editions in Cameroon and Ivory Coast respectively have been staged in January and February as a substitute.

Fifa’s expanded 32-team Membership World Cup was held in June and July this 12 months, forcing Caf to go for mid-season dates as soon as once more.

Because of this this 12 months’s Afcon in Morocco will happen over Christmas and the New Yr for the primary time, with the ultimate on 18 January.

The dates for the finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in 2027 are but to be introduced, and that can be swiftly adopted by one other Afcon in 2028 – with the hosts of that version but to be determined.

After that, the continent’s largest event will turn into a quadrennial event going down in the identical 12 months because the European Championships.

Motsepe mentioned the choice had been made at the side of Fifa president Gianni Infantino and the world governing physique’s normal secretary Mattias Grafstrom – and that Caf “should compromise”.