South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe submit joint bid to host 2028 AFCON

South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have officially submitted a joint bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as the Southern African region seeks to bring the continent’s biggest football tournament back to the area.

The ambitious proposal was confirmed by Botswana Football Association (BFA) President and Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) President Tariq Babitseng, who expressed confidence in the region’s ability to successfully stage the prestigious competition.

“We have put in a bid and we are confident with the infrastructure we have, as well as the vision of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, who believes all regions should have the opportunity to host AFCON,” Babitseng said.

“As COSAFA, we feel we stand a better chance to host,” he added.

The joint bid brings together three neighbouring nations with significant football history and experience in hosting major international sporting events.

South Africa previously hosted the AFCON in 1996 and staged the FIFA World Cup in 2010, while Botswana and Zimbabwe are hoping to use the opportunity to showcase their growing football infrastructure and organisational capacity.

The Southern African region has not hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in recent years, with the tournament largely moving between other parts of the continent.

The bid represents a renewed effort by COSAFA to secure hosting rights and provide greater regional representation in Africa’s premier football competition.

Babitseng believes the proposal aligns with CAF President Patrice Motsepe’s vision of ensuring that different regions across Africa get the opportunity to host AFCON.

The 2028 edition is expected to attract significant interest from potential hosts, with CAF set to assess bids based on factors including stadium facilities, training grounds, accommodation, transport systems and overall tournament readiness.

If successful, the South Africa-Botswana-Zimbabwe bid would mark a major return of AFCON to Southern Africa and provide a platform to further develop football infrastructure and tourism across the three countries.