CK Updates
CAF announces AFCON change and new Nations League
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe attends a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, 20 December 2025, ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament. EPA/JALAL MORCHIDI
Saturday Dec 20, 2025. 19:01
A revolutionary change to the African football calendar was announced on Saturday, moving the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to every four years and introducing a new African Nations League.
This was announced by CAF President Patrice Motsepe at a press conference ahead of the commencement of the tournament in Morocco on Sunday.
It brings the continent in line with the international calendar as the Confederation of African Football said it was making the move in the interest of player welfare and that it would ensure more revenue for the game on the continent.
“This is the best decision for African football,” said Motsepe.
The next AFCON will continue as planned in 2027, which is set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, followed by another tournament the following year, Motsepe said, inviting prospective host countries to bid.
After the 2028 edition, the 24-team tournament will be held every four years, ending over a half century of a biennial competition.
Instead, an African Nations League will be introduced annually from 2029, which Motsepe said would be played in the September, October and November windows for national team matches.
While other confederations in Asia, Europe and South America host their continental championship every four years, Africa held onto hosting its championship every two years, arguing that the revenue generated from the tournament was around 80% of its budget.
“I had a problem in the past about changing the Cup of Nations to every four years but once I was taken through the numbers I could see we will make more money [with the new calendar],” the CAF president stated.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously pressured CAF’s leadership to change its cycle, and the timing of AFCON has long courted controversy because it has usually been hosted in the middle of the European season, forcing clubs to release their African players.
This tug of loyalty was supposed to be solved by moving the Cup of Nations to mid-year from 2019 but later tournaments in Cameroon in 2022 and Ivory Coast in 2024 were again hosted at the start of the year.
“It is in the interests of the teams, clubs and players,” Motsepe added.
“I can’t have players leaving their clubs in Europe in the mid-season. It’s wrong.
“We’ve got a duty to the players. We know how frustrating it is for the players when their club says they are needed but they are also needed for the country.
“It’s unfair to the players. We are solving this problem for us in Africa and for our African players,” he said.
By Nic Gleeson
CK Updates
Hibs: David Gray ‘will continue until told otherwise’ – but has Hibs boss lost the fans?
Kieron: Kilmarnock could have won by three or four and it wouldn’t of flattered them. Hibs were so poor tonight. David Gray’s position is hanging by a thread.
Stuart: The players on that pitch have to take as much responsibility as Gray for this result, nowhere near good enough. Amateur performance.
Andy: How can Gray continue to keep his job? The players are not playing for him. The club is a mess. Banning the only fans that bring an atmosphere. Benching three of our best players. So confusing.
Chris: Question the tactics. Thought for long time long ball is desperate and lacks ambition. Pressure indeed on David Gray.
Lee: If we end the game two points off bottom spot then it’s surely time up for the Hibs manager. It’s not a run and recovery from a bad position needed, it’s deliver and results from the get go the support demands for a club of our size.
Stuart: The players on that pitch have to take as much responsibility as David Gray for this result, nowhere near good enough. Amateur performance.
Paul: Long balls to no-one as usual from Hibs and as usual our keeper is a weak link. Gray has to go even if we win as this is awful football. Bring in Neil Lennon or Steve Clarke asap before our season drifts to nothing as usual.
Andy: How can Gray continue to keep his job? The players are not playing for him. The club is a mess. Banning the only fans that bring an atmosphere. Benching three of our best players. So confusing.
Brian: Worst backline in Scotland, midfielders trot about like headless chickens, feel sorry for strikers. Gray clueless. No plan. No tactics. Blah, blah, blah after game as usual but won’t resign. Board have to act.
SMcDhfc: David Gray has lost the team, it was obvious tonight. As an attacking force, we were shocking, lots of huffing and puffing but not one real effort on target. The players should be embarrassed after that display, but they will get the result they are after, Gray sacked.
Craig: I like Gray but believe it’s time he goes. He has one formation. It’s just not good enough. But, if he goes, Malky MacKay [director of football] should go too. His signings have been terrible.
CK Updates
Thomas Tuchel: England boss regrets not eating Azteca turf after World Cup win in Mexico
England’s victory was only the third time Mexico had tasted defeat at the stadium in 90 competitive matches.
Tuchel described it as one of the highlights of the campaign and hailed the “huge bond” within the camp, especially the reaction to Jordan Henderson’s tournament-ending injury after falling over an advertising hoarding while celebrating the Azteca success.
“This game had so much of what you could wish for,” added the German. “If you needed any proof of what it meant to these players and how they were with each other, it was the moment Jordan fell over and broke his arm.
“Within a second, the players were there. Every single player was there stopping the celebrations, building a shield, protecting Jordan, not going anywhere, in full empathy. It was so special.”
England are next in action against World Cup winners Spain on 26 September in their 2026-27 Uefa Nations League opener, with the 2028 European Championships also on Tuchel’s radar.
Confident of ending England’s wait for a first senior men’s trophy since 1966, he believed their World Cup run not only cemented his relationship with the squad – “it feels like they are my players now” – but also represented “something to build on”.
Tuchel added: “I’m very excited. I think we got another step closer and I think we’re there.”
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Northern Ireland: Eligibility rules ‘not particularly fair’ – Michael O’Neill
Under the Good Friday Agreement – the 1998 peace accord that followed the conflict colloquially known as The Troubles – those born in Northern Ireland can hold both British and Irish passports.
A Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling in 2010 means players born anywhere on the island of Ireland are able to represent the Republic of Ireland regardless of whether they fulfil any other measure of eligibility, namely being born in the territory, having a biological mother, father, grandmother or grandfather born in the territory, or having lived there for an uninterrupted period of five years.
Players born in the Republic of Ireland, however, cannot represent Northern Ireland unless they are otherwise eligible.
“We exploit eligibility, the same as every other country does, down to the grandparent rule, but this is a rule which is obviously unique between ourselves and the FAI [Football Association of Ireland],” said O’Neill.
“I think everyone recognises it’s not particularly fair, but as I say, our focus is to make sure our pathway for our young players is as good as possible and that’s a pathway for boys from any part of the community.”
In May, FAI director of football John Martin said the organisation should at “the bare minimum” be sounding out eligible players.
“We know there are kids out there who want to play for Ireland who haven’t been approached in the past,” said Martin.
“That’s not right. It’s making sure we have a presence and we understand all the players available to us, and that they are being monitored and tracked.”
When asked whether the narrative around young players in or around his squad is tiresome to him, O’Neill said: “It would have been in the past, it’s not tiresome now.
“We have people who comment on this and talk about nationality and talk about identity and talk about all these different things, which are part of being born in Northern Ireland and growing up in Northern Ireland.
“But I think what we’re missing now is that we’re putting young players in a situation where they have to make a decision which is irreversible.”
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CK Updates21 hours agoF1 Q&A: Madring’s overtaking problem, virtual safety car operation and will there be any rookies in 2027?
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CK Updates15 hours agoNorthern Ireland: Eligibility rules ‘not particularly fair’ – Michael O’Neill
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CK Updates9 hours agoThomas Tuchel: England boss regrets not eating Azteca turf after World Cup win in Mexico
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CK Updates3 hours agoHibs: David Gray ‘will continue until told otherwise’ – but has Hibs boss lost the fans?

