Burkina Faso can host AFCON 2032 alone, says Captain Ibrahim Traoré

Burkina Faso president Captain Ibrahim Traoré says his country is capable of hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in 2032, insisting that organising the continent’s biggest football tournament is “quite feasible”.

Traoré, speaking about Burkina Faso’s potential bid to stage the tournament, said the country should not consider hosting the competition beyond its capabilities.

“We need to strike the word ‘impossible’ from our vocabulary. 2032 is still a long way off,” Traoré said.

The 2032 edition of the AFCON remains several years away, giving potential hosts time to develop or upgrade the infrastructure required to stage the tournament.

Traoré said Burkina Faso could potentially host the competition as part of a three-country arrangement, but also insisted that his country could do so independently if the decision was taken.

“If we want to, we can. And three countries are more than enough. If we get serious about it, we can do it,” he said.

“Even Burkina Faso alone, if we decide to host the AFCON in 2032, we will do it.”

His comments underline Burkina Faso’s ambition to improve its sporting infrastructure and potentially position itself as a host of one of Africa’s major international sporting events.

Traoré argued that constructing the stadiums required for a tournament of AFCON’s scale should not be viewed as an insurmountable challenge.

“Building a stadium is no longer a monumental feat these days. We can build a stadium; we are already working on that,” he said.

The president added that his administration was pursuing a wider programme to improve sports infrastructure across the country.

“We are launching a vast programme for numerous sports infrastructure projects,” he said.

Beyond stadiums, host countries are also expected to provide sufficient accommodation, transport and security for teams, officials, supporters and other visitors.

Traoré said Burkina Faso already has the hotel capacity required to accommodate people attending the tournament.

“As for hotels, we already have the capacity to accommodate everyone,” he said.

Security, however, remains another important consideration, particularly given the demands associated with welcoming large numbers of international visitors for a major sporting event.

Traoré acknowledged the need to ensure that adequate arrangements are made for visitors.

“Regarding security and other factors, we need to put everything in place so that those visiting our countries have a truly [safe experience],” he said.

Despite the scale of the preparations that would be required, Traoré maintained that hosting the AFCON should be viewed as an achievable objective rather than an unrealistic ambition.

“So, if we want to, we can. It’s not an insurmountable task; it is entirely possible,” he said.

“It’s not even overly ambitious, it is quite feasible. And we are going to do it.”

Burkina Faso have previously hosted major regional football competitions but have not staged the senior men’s AFCON. A successful bid for 2032 would therefore represent a significant step in the country’s sporting ambitions.

Traoré’s comments also come as Burkina Faso seeks to expand its sporting infrastructure, with the president pointing to stadium construction and broader development projects as part of the country’s preparations for the future.

For now, however, any decision on the hosting of the 2032 AFCON will depend on the formal bidding process and the requirements set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Traoré’s message is clear: Burkina Faso does not intend to rule itself out of the race simply because of the scale of the tournament.

As he put it: “If we want to, we can.”