AFCON 2028 bid by South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe aims to make history as CAF considers joint hosting proposal
The Botswana Football Association President, Tariq Babitseng, has confirmed that Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe have formally submitted a joint bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations finals, marking a potential historic AFCON 2028 bid involving four southern African nations.
Also read: Trabzonspor Demand €40m for Chibuike Nwaiwu Transfer
The announcement was made during Babitseng’s remarks in Harare, where he was elected President of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations, COSAFA.
He stated that the bid was submitted within the required deadline and expressed confidence in the region’s capacity to deliver a successful tournament.
The AFCON 2028 bid would represent a first for Africa if approved, with four countries sharing hosting duties for a single edition of the continental competition.
While CAF has not officially adopted a rotation policy, recent tournaments have been staged across different regions of the continent, strengthening southern Africa’s case for consideration.
Babitseng emphasised that the region possesses adequate infrastructure and transport networks to manage a multi-nation tournament, reinforcing the belief that the AFCON 2028 bid is both practical and ambitious.
“We submitted on time to host the tournament in southern Africa,” he said, highlighting confidence in the joint proposal.
The bid also aligns with a growing global trend of multi-nation tournaments, with recent examples in Europe and Asia demonstrating the feasibility of shared hosting.
Southern Africa itself is also preparing for joint hosting responsibilities in other major sporting events, further strengthening its experience.
South Africa previously hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 and 2013, while Angola staged the tournament in 2010.
The new proposal, if successful, would mark a significant expansion of hosting collaboration within African football.
Also read: Carrick Nominated for Premier League Manager of Season Award
CAF is expected to review bids in the coming months before making a final decision on the 2028 edition, with the AFCON 2028 bid now positioning southern Africa as a strong contender for the tournament.
