A joint bid involving South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe has been officially submitted to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), according to regional football officials. If approved, it would mark the first time in the tournament’s history that four countries co-host Africa’s premier football competition.
Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng confirmed that the bid was delivered on time and expressed confidence in the region’s ability to stage a successful tournament. He highlighted strong transport links and existing infrastructure across the four nations as key strengths of the proposal.
The bid reflects a growing trend within the Confederation of African Football (CAF) toward multi-country hosting formats. While CAF does not formally rotate hosting rights, recent editions have increasingly been shared between multiple nations. The 2027 AFCON is already scheduled to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
If awarded, the 2028 edition would expand this model further, potentially creating the most geographically dispersed AFCON tournament in history. This approach mirrors recent international tournaments outside Africa, such as UEFA Euro 2020, which was staged across 11 countries, and Euro 2028, which will also be co-hosted by four nations.
Among the bidders, South Africa stands out as the only country in the group with prior experience hosting AFCON, having staged the tournament in 1996 and 2013. The southern African region is also preparing to co-host the 2027 Cricket World Cup, further strengthening its case through demonstrated sporting infrastructure.
CAF is expected to review the bids and announce the host nation(s) in the coming period.
If successful, the 2028 AFCON would represent a landmark moment for African football, showcasing unprecedented regional cooperation in hosting a continental championship.