Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman has expressed his disappointment over CAF’s decision to move the Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle, calling the end of the biennial tradition a shame for the continent.
Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman has hit out at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after President Patrice Motsepe announced the Africa Cup of Nations will become a quadrennial event starting in 2028.
The shift ends a 60-year tradition of holding the tournament every two years. Expressing his frustration during the ongoing 2025 tournament in Morocco, Lookman stated:
“The decision has been made, we can’t really change it. It is a shame as Africans are not able to get the tournament every two years like we are used to. It is a disappointment.”
The restructuring aims to align AFCON with a new global calendar, including a four-year cycle and the introduction of an African Nations League in 2029.
Motsepe confirmed that while the 2027 edition remains on track, the subsequent tournament will not occur until 2028 to establish the new interval.
This change significantly impacts player legacies, making it nearly impossible for future stars to match the record eight tournament appearances held by legends like Andre Ayew and Ahmed Hassan.
Despite his grievances with the administrative changes, Lookman remains focused on the Super Eagles’ current campaign following a perfect group stage performance.
Nigeria is chasing its fourth continental title, and the Atalanta star is determined to maintain their winning momentum into the knockout rounds.
Discussing the path ahead, Lookman noted: “We want to continue to win the games as we face everybody because if you want to win the tournament we have to face the best team so we are looking forward to the test ahead.”