Mali coach Tom Saintfiet received the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to change the Africa Cup of Nations cycle to four years from two with disappointment.
Saintfiet was replying to a question from the media on Thursday as Mali prepares to take on Morocco in their second match of the 2025 Afcon.
“I am very shocked and disappointed with the decision,” started Saintfiet. “1957 was the first Afcon and played every two years. It is the pride of African football, the best players from Africa playing for the big clubs in Europe come together to celebrate and defend the honour and the glory of African football,” he added.
“To take it away and then bring it after every four years is bad. I would understand if it was a question from Africa, a request needed by African players, the African federations or even CAF but it is all instructed by big people from Uefa, the big clubs in Europe and also by Fifa.”
The Afcon will be played in 2027 and then 2028 and from then, the four-year cycle will begin with the Africa Nations League occupying the Afcon.