CAF confirms multiple bids to host 2028, 2032 and 2036 AFCONs as Sahel trio enters race

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has received several formal bids to stage the 2028, 2032 and 2036 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, with a joint candidacy from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger now officially in the running despite serious security concerns in the Sahel.

CAF outlined the state of play for the three future editions on Wednesday in Johannesburg, on the sidelines of a press briefing by its president Patrice Motsepe.

In a short statement, the governing body confirmed that a significant number of member associations have already come forward, but did not name most of the contenders or specify how many bids are on the table.

‘Several quality bids’ received

“ La CAF a officiellement ouvert l’appel a candidatures pour les associations membres souhaitant accueillir les editions 2028, 2032 et 2036 de la TotalEnergies CAF Coupe d’Afrique des Nations. Le processus se deroule dans d’excellentes conditions et plusieurs dossiers de qualite ont deja ete deposes. Des annonces officielles seront faites en temps opportun. ”

CAF’s communication stopped short of confirming a reported bid by Libya for the 2028 tournament. The president of the Libyan Football Federation (LFF), Abdolmola El Mograbi, has publicly stated that his country is seeking to host that edition, but CAF has so far neither validated nor denied this claim.

The continental body, however, made clear that the formal bidding phase is active and progressing, with internal assessments under way before a final decision is taken by its executive structures.

Sahel alliance ‘has as much chance as others’

Speaking to the media, Motsepe underlined that the joint expression of interest from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger is being treated like any other bid, even though all three countries are part of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a bloc grappling with instability and security threats.

Motsepe confirmed that the tripartite candidacy is officially in the process and stressed that CAF would not automatically penalise the Sahel trio over the region’s fragile security situation.

According to the CAF president, the three AES nations have « autant de chances que les autres » to be awarded a tournament, signalling that the body is willing to weigh security guarantees alongside broader criteria such as infrastructure, organisational capacity and government backing.

This position is likely to spark debate within African football circles, as recent AFCON editions have already tested the continent’s logistical and security capabilities, with CAF frequently under pressure to ensure player, official and fan safety.

Key contenders yet to show their hand

While some bids are now confirmed, the picture for the 2032 and 2028 tournaments remains incomplete.

At present, it is unclear whether Senegal will submit a formal bid for the 2032 AFCON, despite previously being linked with a possible campaign.

Questions also remain over whether Egypt, a traditional heavyweight in African football hosting, will step forward for one of the available editions.

Similarly, CAF has not confirmed whether a mooted joint proposal from Botswana and South Africa, or a possible Ethiopian bid, has materialised into a formal dossier for 2028.

CAF has indicated that “official announcements will be made in due course”, suggesting that the final shortlist and eventual host selections for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments will be revealed only after a full technical and administrative evaluation of each candidacy.

For now, the race to host Africa’s flagship football event is open, with a mixture of established organisers and ambitious emerging hosts vying to stage the continent’s biggest sporting showpiece in the next decade.