Four-Year AFCON Shake-Up: Saiss Defies His Coach in Africa's Scheduling Debate

Saiss breaks ranks on a thorny AFCON issue

Romain Saiss, captain of the Moroccan national team, publicly contradicted his coach Walid Regragui on a controversial question during the Africa Cup of Nations.

Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), announced that AFCON would take place every four years, with the prize for the champions rising to $10 million.

This decision drew a wave of criticism from opponents of the plan.

Reactions and the Moroccan context

Regragui, along with Egypt's Hossam Hassan and Mali's Tom Saintfiet, was among the coaches voicing opposition. Regragui argued that the biennial format allowed many teams to grow and rebuild quickly, whereas a four-year cycle would force longer waits for the next edition.

At a press conference ahead of Morocco's Round of 16 clash with Tanzania, Saiss stated that the CAF decision was positive for raising players' level and for clubs. He added that the two-year cycle had slowed some players' development due to many Africans featuring for big European clubs. He concluded that the four-year plan would bring benefits and add special value to the tournament.

Punchline 1: If AFCON's calendar were a dating app, four years would be the ultimate “it's complicated” status.

Punchline 2: And if patience is a virtue, football fans just earned a PhD in endurance.