Zimbabwe receive government backing for 2028 AFCON joint bid with South Africa and Botswana

Zimbabwe have officially secured government guarantee backing for their bid to co-host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside South Africa and Botswana.

The development gives Zimbabwe an important step forward in the three-country proposal, although South Africa and Botswana are yet to receive their own government guarantees.

As things stand, Zimbabwe are therefore the only country in the joint bid to have secured official government backing for the proposed tournament.

The three nations submitted a joint proposal to host the 2028 AFCON, with the plan centred on sharing the responsibilities of staging Africa’s premier international football tournament.

Under the proposed arrangement, Zimbabwe and Botswana were expected to host group-stage matches, while Botswana had also expressed an interest in staging one of the semi-finals.

South Africa, with its existing football infrastructure and experience of hosting major international competitions, would also form a key part of the joint hosting plan.

However, Zimbabwe’s government guarantee does not automatically mean the country can pursue the tournament as an independent host.

Because the bid was submitted jointly by Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana, the proposal is based on the three countries collectively fulfilling CAF’s hosting requirements.

That makes the absence of government guarantees from South Africa and Botswana a potentially significant issue as the bid progresses.

A government guarantee is an important part of the bidding process because it provides assurances from the state regarding the organisation and delivery of the tournament, including areas such as infrastructure, security, transport and other logistical commitments.

Zimbabwe’s backing means one part of the joint proposal has now received the necessary government support, but the other two countries still need to complete their respective processes.

The three countries’ decision to submit a joint bid was designed to spread the demands of hosting the expanded continental tournament across multiple venues and nations.

For Zimbabwe and Botswana, hosting group-stage matches would provide an opportunity to bring AFCON football to their home supporters, while Botswana’s proposal to stage a semi-final would give the country a more prominent role in the tournament.

Zimbabwe’s latest development is therefore a boost to the joint proposal, but the overall bid remains dependent on the position of South Africa and Botswana.

Until all three countries have the necessary guarantees and satisfy the relevant requirements, Zimbabwe’s government backing alone is unlikely to transform the joint proposal into a standalone Zimbabwean bid.

The 2028 AFCON hosting process is expected to determine which proposal will ultimately be selected to stage the tournament, with the joint southern African bid seeking to demonstrate that the three countries can collectively provide the infrastructure and logistical capacity required for a major continental competition.

For now, Zimbabwe have taken the first formal step among the three partners by obtaining government backing, while attention will turn to whether South Africa and Botswana can secure their guarantees and keep the joint proposal intact.