South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe hold key AFCON 2028 hosting bid talks

A crucial meeting involving South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe is set to take place today as the three Southern African nations continue discussions over their joint bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The meeting, scheduled for 15:00 GMT, forms part of ongoing efforts by the three countries to strengthen their proposal and position Southern Africa as the next destination for Africa’s biggest football tournament.

The regional collaboration reflects a renewed push to bring AFCON back to Southern Africa, a region that has not hosted the competition in recent years despite its strong football tradition and established sporting infrastructure.

South Africa previously hosted the tournament in 2013, while Zimbabwe and Botswana have continued to grow their football facilities and international hosting ambitions.

A successful joint bid would mark another major opportunity for the region to showcase its readiness to stage a continental competition.

Discussions are expected to focus on key areas of the hosting proposal, including stadium facilities, logistics, accommodation, transport networks and overall tournament preparations.

The AFCON 2028 hosting race is expected to attract significant interest, with countries seeking to demonstrate their ability to meet the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) requirements for hosting the prestigious tournament.

The South Africa-Botswana-Zimbabwe partnership hopes their combined experience, geographic proximity and shared football heritage will strengthen their chances of securing the rights to host the 2028 edition.