The changes to the Gold Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations tell us something about the problems facing football

The global football calendar is increasingly resembling a contested territory, where every competition is vying for space and no one seems willing to give any up. On 5 November, in fact, CONCACAF announced a new format for the Gold Cup, the tournament for national teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean. A week earlier, on 29 October, the African Confederation had decided to return the Africa Cup of Nations to a biennial schedule, abandoning plans to hold it every four years. Two seemingly unrelated decisions, united by the same need: to defend their economic and political influence in international football.

The 2027 Gold Cup, scheduled to take place from 17 June to 11 July, will feature sixteen teams divided into two groups of eight, rather than the traditional four groups of four. Each national team will play four matches in the group stage, compared with three previously, facing opponents from different ranking brackets. The top four teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals. Translated into market terms: more exciting matches, greater public interest and a more appealing television product. The Gold Cup must establish its own identity in a hugely lucrative sports market, but one in which football must compete with other forms of entertainment. It is no small matter that Saudi Arabia will also be among the 2027 participants, having been invited for the second consecutive edition: the geography of competitions now also mirrors that of commercial relations.

In Africa, the situation is different. CAF has admitted that the new continental Nations League, designed to accompany the transition of the Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle, would have taken years to generate sufficient revenue. President Patrice Motsepe has therefore chosen to safeguard the interests of the 54 affiliated federations. Following the 2027 edition, hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033. The biennial cycle will not be immediate, but the economic principle has been re-established.

The Africa Cup of Nations is not just a prestigious competition. It is an indispensable source of funding for many football associations that do not have the revenue generated by European football. According to figures released by CAF, the 2025 edition in Morocco recorded a cumulative television audience of over 3.2 billion and six billion digital views.

The paradox is clear. Whilst there is debate in Europe about the excessive workload on footballers, the governing bodies are seeking to increase the number of matches or maintain their frequency. This is not necessarily out of greed. For some organisations, the fixture list is a commercial tool; for others, it is a matter of economic survival. And those with fewer resources often have less leeway to forgo their own tournaments.

Meanwhile, European clubs, which pay the wages of many key players in African national teams, are calling for greater protection for footballers. This is a legitimate request, but one that is intertwined with the defence of their own investments. FIFA, the confederations and the clubs are each seeking to protect their own interests, without an authority capable of truly reconciling such divergent interests.

The Gold Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations therefore reveal something that goes beyond the format of the tournaments. In global football, the calendar has become a form of power. Whoever controls the dates controls a share of the revenue, visibility and opportunities for growth. The problem is that the amount of time available remains the same, whilst the number of those wanting to sell it is increasing.