Nations Cup To Be Expanded And Timing Changed: CAF

The African Nations Cup finals tournament is set to be expanded to 24 teams and moved to dates in June and July but will continue to be held every two years after recommendations on the tournament at a symposium in Morocco on Wednesday.

The decision must still be ratified by the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee, but that could come as early as Thursday when they meet in Rabat.

The recommendations were made after a workshop on the future of the tournament, which included much of CAF’s leadership, and the decision is expected to be rubber-stamped.

The timing of the Nations Cup finals has been a contentious issue as it was played in January, in the middle of the league season in Europe. The majority of Nations Cup players come from European clubs and increasingly found themselves drawn into a club versus country tug-of-war.