The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced the launch of the African Nations League, a new competition aimed at reshaping international football across the continent.

The tournament is scheduled to kick off in 2029 and will be played during the FIFA international windows in September, October, and November.

The introduction of the African Nations League comes at a time when the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has shifted to a four-year cycle, creating longer gaps without meaningful competitive action for national teams. CAF says the new competition is designed to address that gap by providing regular, high-level matches while reducing the reliance on low-stakes international friendlies.

How it works

While CAF has confirmed the tournament format, a final decision is yet to be made on whether the competition will be held annually or biennially.

The African Nations League will be organised in partnership with FIFA and will replace the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which has been officially discontinued. Unlike CHAN, the new competition will feature senior national teams with no restrictions on player eligibility, allowing countries to field their strongest possible squads.

The tournament will adopt a geographical zonal system, dividing the continent into four regions: North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and a combined Central and Southern Africa zone.

In the initial phase, teams within each zone will compete in group matches played in September and October. The top-ranked team from each zone will advance to the final phase.

The concluding stage, scheduled for November, will bring together the four zonal winners, who will compete in either a knockout or mini-tournament format to crown the inaugural African Nations League champion.