AFCON 2025: Claude Le Roy slams 'appalling' CAF decision to cut tournament from every two years to every four years

Legendary coach Claude Le Roy has delivered a scathing assessment of the Confederation of African Football's decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years from 2028, describing the move as "appalling nonsense" driven by FIFA and the greed of CAF leaders.

The CAF announced on December 20, on the eve of AFCON 2025 in Morocco, that the tournament would switch from a biennial to a quadrennial format starting in 2028. The decision has sparked controversy across African football, with Le Roy — a nine-time AFCON participant — among its most vocal critics.

"That's appalling nonsense," the 77-year-old French coach told Afrik-Foot. "Don't you want Africa to develop? Don't you want countries to build stadiums, training grounds, and develop their infrastructure every two years, including highways and roads — the very things that all of sub-Saharan Africa needs"?

"Go live in sub-Saharan Africa, and you'll see what they need with an Africa Cup of Nations every two years. Football doesn't change a country's social or sociological life. But having an Africa Cup of Nations every two years at least meant that a fair amount of work would get done."

Le Roy takes aim at FIFA Arab Cup

While CAF president Patrice Motsepe has justified the decision as a means to support African players based in Europe who often face pressure from clubs to delay their departure for the tournament, Le Roy dismissed this argument as a mere pretext.

"Where you are completely mistaken is that this is not at all for Africa," Le Roy insisted. "It is for FIFA, to multiply even more African competitions by playing on the greed of African leaders, further damaging the players, creating completely bogus competitions".

"I'm sorry, but the FIFA Arab Cup, with higher prize money than the Africa Cup of Nations — I don't even understand why all the journalists, even Arab ones, haven't reacted against it."

Le Roy's frustration with the Arab Cup, which concluded on December 18 with Morocco A' winning in Qatar just three days before the start of AFCON 2025, was evident throughout his remarks.

Despite Le Roy's criticism, the CAF reform has found support among some players. Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi and Algeria central defender Aissa Mandi have both publicly endorsed the decision to stage the tournament every four years.

This article was originally published on Afrik-Foot.