AFCON expanded, timing changed

The Africa Cup of Nations finals are 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 will be ratified by the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee today when they meet in Rabat.

The recommendations were made after a workshop on the future of the tournament that included much of CAF’s leadership.

The timing of the Nations Cup finals has been contentious as it has been 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.