Africa Cup of Nations 2028: Ethiopia and southern African trio emerge as early bidders as Morocco steps aside

Ethiopia and a joint bid from South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have become the first confirmed contenders to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, with several other African heavyweights weighing potential campaigns as Morocco rules itself out of all future Confederation of African Football (CAF) hosting races.

CAF is already looking beyond the next finals, scheduled for 2027 in East Africa, where Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have been selected as co-hosts. The 2028 edition is expected to follow as planned, provided the 2027 tournament proceeds without delays to the calendar.

Ethiopia and southern African alliance declare interest

Ethiopia has publicly signalled its intention to stage the 2028 tournament, putting forward a solo bid for the continent’s premier football event.

It faces competition from the south of the continent, where South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have joined forces in a three-nation proposal to share hosting duties. That alliance has already declared its candidacy, positioning itself as a major early rival to Ethiopia within the emerging field.

Both bids will be formally assessed once CAF opens the official bidding process, which will determine inspection visits, infrastructure guarantees and the timeline for selecting the 2028 hosts.

Egypt weighing bid as North African picture shifts

Elsewhere, some of Africa’s most established football nations are still evaluating their stance.

Egypt is seriously considering entering the race for 2028, although its bid has not yet been formally lodged with CAF. The North African country, which has a long history of staging major continental tournaments, is understood to be studying the logistical and financial implications before making a final decision.

Libya has gone a step further in outlining its ambitions, stating a desire to host the Africa Cup of Nations in one of several future cycles. Libyan officials have indicated that the country is targeting the 2028, 2032 or 2036 editions, leaving open multiple windows in which it could seek to bring the competition to its territory once conditions allow.

Sahel states target 2032 co-hosting plan

In the Sahel region, three neighbouring countries are working on a longer-term project.

Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali are preparing a joint bid aimed specifically at the 2032 tournament. The planned tri-nation candidacy would see the three states share venues and organisational responsibilities, mirroring the growing trend towards co-hosting seen elsewhere on the continent.

Their strategy is focused on that single edition rather than 2028, marking them out as future rather than immediate contenders in CAF’s rotation of host nations.

Morocco ends CAF hosting ambitions

Amid the flurry of interest, one of African football’s traditional powerbrokers has removed itself from the equation.

Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), has confirmed that Morocco will no longer submit bids to stage upcoming CAF competitions. His decision covers future Africa Cup of Nations tournaments as well as other continental events under CAF’s umbrella.

That move represents a significant shift in the North African landscape, as Morocco has frequently been mentioned as a strong candidate in previous hosting discussions. Its withdrawal from future tenders opens the door for rival regional projects, potentially reshaping the competitive map for CAF tournaments over the coming years.

With early declarations already on the table and several heavyweight nations still weighing their options, the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations is set to intensify once CAF finalises its bidding regulations and timeline for the next round of decisions.