The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) has announced that the return of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to take place every two years.

The decision follows a CAF Executive meeting on Thursday where the members unanimously reached the decision to return to the two year system.

“The decision by the CAF EXCO that the CAF AFCON should take place every Two Years was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations, as well as the interest of African players employed by Football Clubs outside Africa,” said the CAF President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe.

He made it clear that CAF is also concerned by the several years required before the proposed new Africa Nations League Pan-African competition, (which was supposed to be identical to the current AFCON and take place Every Two Years), could make the substantial financial and football development contributions for African Football and CAF competitions to be globally competitive and self-supporting.

“The CAF EXCO decision is in the best interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations and will also contribute significantly to the development and growth of football in Africa,” added Dr. Motsepe.

He also made it clear that he is confident the 2027 AFCON to be staged by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be very successful. The subsequent AFCONs thereafter will take place in 2028, 2031 and 2033.

The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) wishes to inform Members Associations and all stakeholders that, Ms. Jean Sseninde has been appointed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as Interim Executive Director of the Association.

Sseninde, a former Ugandan International who has been the CECAFA Women Football Development Manager will take over the position immediately.

“We welcome Sseninde to this position and promise to give her all the necessary support as we work towards developing Football in the region,” said the CECAFA Acting President, Mr. Alexandre Muyenge.

The CECAFA Zone has 12 members; Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Zanzibar

South Sudan Cup winners Jamus FC will host Stade Tunisien in leg 1^st round of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup in Juba.

The match which will be the first leg encounter will take place at the newly renovated Juba National Stadium on August 16^th.

After the officially inauguration of the Stadium by the South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and FIFA President Gianni Infantino in June this year, CAF has also cleared the Stadium to host International matches.

The Stadium got temporary clearance to host the South Sudan against Sudan in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match in June this year. “We are happy that CAF cleared the Stadium and many more matches are now coming to the Juba National Stadium. This is a good development because our teams can now play at home instead of traveling to play home matches in other venues,” says the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) General Secretary, Victor Lual.

Jamus FC who played in the Mapinduzi Cup in Zanzibar few months ago and are now camped in Rwanda will hope to get a good home result in-front of their fans.

El Merriekh Bentiu, the South Sudan League reigning champions will later host Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) at the same Juba National Stadium two days later in the 1^st preliminary round match of the TotalEnegries CAF Champions League.

Sudan Premier League side El Merriekh who have opted to use Juba National Stadium as their home ground will later host Al Nasar Libya in a TotalEnergies CAF Champions League match on August 24^th.

In September two AFCON 2025 qualifier matches will also take place at the Juba National Stadium. Sudan will host Niger on September 4^th, while South Sudan will face South Sudan at the same Stadium six days later.

Tanzania’s Eng. Hersi Ally Said has been elected the first chairman of the African Clubs Association (ACA).

Said, also President of Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC was elected on Thursday during the official launch of the new body held at the Marriot Mena House in Cairo, Egypt.

”  I appreciate the effort by the President of the Confederation of African Football Patrice Motsepe to have this body African Clubs Association. It is a platform which will help us try to find solutions to problems affecting us as Clubs, ” said Said.

Jessica Motaung who is also an official of Kaizer Chiefs FC in the South African Premier League was elected first Vice chairperson, while Akwa United FC’s (Nigeria) Paul Bassey is the second Vice chairman. The new body also had 15 Board members with it’s headquarters to be established in Nairobi, Kenya.

Among some of the objectives of the African Clubs Association include; to protect and promote the interest of African Football Clubs, to ensure that African Football Clubs are commercially viable, globally competitive and profitable, to ensure that referees, match  commissioners and VAR operators are respected, to build partnerships with sponsors, the private sector and Governments to build stadiums that comply with CAF and FIFA standards and other football infrastructure and facilities in each of the 54 CAF Member Associations among others.

Besides the different Club chairmen from around Africa, the launch of the new body was also attended by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, CAF third and fourth Vice Presidents Souleiman Hassan Waberi and Seidou Mbombo Njoya respectively. The CAF general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba also attended.