Southern African trio weigh joint bid for 2028 Africa Cup of Nations

South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe are considering a joint bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) as part of a growing list of potential candidates for the continent’s flagship tournament.

The formal process for submitting bids opened on 3 July, and a new proposal for one of the 2028, 2032 or 2036 editions is now under active discussion, according to reports.

Journalist Lassana Camara has reported that South Africa is seriously evaluating a bid for the 2028 tournament. The South African Football Association had initially looked at a possible joint candidacy with Botswana, but plans have since shifted.

Instead, the Bafana Bafana are now understood to be exploring a three-way bid with Lesotho and Zimbabwe. The move towards a tripartite candidacy is thought to be linked to the expanded format of the competition, which will feature 28 teams.

If confirmed and ultimately selected, the proposal would mark the first time a Nations Cup finals has been co-hosted by countries from Southern Africa at this scale.

South Africa’s experience, neighbours’ first-time ambitions

South Africa has already staged the CAN on its own twice, in 1996 and 2013. By contrast, neither Lesotho nor Zimbabwe has ever hosted the tournament.

Zimbabwe did come close at the turn of the century. The country was originally awarded the hosting rights for the 2000 CAN but later had the tournament withdrawn and reassigned to a joint bid from Ghana and Nigeria.

A successful three-nation candidacy involving South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe would therefore represent both a historic first for the region and a debut as host nation for Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Uncertainty over other 2028 contenders

Elsewhere on the continent, there has been speculation around possible bids from Egypt and Ethiopia for the same 2028 edition, but it is not yet clear whether either federation has formally submitted its documents.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that it had already received a number of strong proposals, without naming any of the countries involved.

CAF said only that “plusieurs dossiers de qualite ont deja ete deposes” – “several high-quality bids have already been submitted” – maintaining a degree of secrecy around the early stages of the process.

Interest grows for 2032 and beyond

While the 2028 race begins to take shape, attention is also turning to the tournaments that will follow.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe has confirmed that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have formally expressed interest in jointly hosting the 2032 edition of the competition. The three West African nations are exploring a shared bid that would mirror the multi-country approach now emerging in Southern Africa.

Motsepe also left the door open for further declarations of interest, with Senegal potentially joining the list of aspiring hosts for 2032, although no official candidacy from Dakar has yet been confirmed.

The evolving landscape of bids for 2028, 2032 and 2036 reflects both the logistical demands of an expanded 28-team finals and a growing appetite among African nations to host the continent’s showpiece tournament, whether alone or in regional alliances.