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How CAF’s Africa Nations League will increase Harambee Stars’ competitive matches
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Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 21.12.25. | 08:30
While the final format is yet to be confirmed, CAF is expected to draw inspiration from UEFA’s original Nations League structure, under that model, national teams were divided into multiple groups based on ranking, with teams playing home-and-away group matches across the international windows
Harambee Stars are set to benefit from an increased number of competitive international matches after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed plans to introduce an annual Africa Nations League starting in 2029.
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The new competition, which will mirror the UEFA Nations League format, represents a major shift in how international football is organized on the continent.
Once launched, African national teams will be grouped into leagues and compete during FIFA international windows, ensuring regular, high-stakes matches outside traditional qualification tournaments.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced the plan in Rabat on the eve of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, describing the Africa Nations League as a move aimed at keeping elite African football active every year.
“This will be the equivalent of an AFCON every year,” Motsepe said, noting that the tournament would help maintain top-level competition across the continent on an annual basis.
For countries such as Kenya, which have struggled to qualify consistently for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the introduction of the Nations League offers a valuable alternative route to sustained competitive football.
The Harambee Stars last featured at AFCON in 2019 in Egypt and have since missed out on successive editions.
The Africa Nations League will run annually and is expected to provide regular competitive fixtures for teams that often rely on friendlies due to limited qualification opportunities.
CAF believes this will help improve overall standards while giving national teams meaningful matches during international breaks.
The new competition is part of a wider CAF restructuring that will also see the AFCON move to a four-year cycle from 2028, bringing an end to the long-standing biennial format.
According to CAF, the shift is designed to preserve the commercial value of AFCON while maintaining competitive momentum through the annual Nations League.
Motsepe explained that the reforms are also aimed at easing ongoing tensions with European clubs over player release and reducing clashes with the global football calendar.
The 2025 AFCON was pushed to December following scheduling conflicts with the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, a move that shortened preparation time for national teams after clubs negotiated delayed player releases.
CAF views the Africa Nations League as a stabilizing solution after years of calendar uncertainty, during which AFCON has frequently changed dates and formats.
The governing body believes the combined reforms will create a more harmonized international schedule while protecting the interests of African players and strengthening the long-term value of continental competitions.
While the final format is yet to be confirmed, CAF is expected to draw inspiration from UEFA’s original Nations League structure.
Under that model, national teams were divided into multiple groups based on ranking, with teams playing home-and-away group matches across the international windows.
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