South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe submit joint bid to host AFCON 2028 - Blueprint Newspapers Limited
Spread the wordSouth Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have officially submitted a joint bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking a major push by the Southern African region to stage the. . .
Spread the wordSouth Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have officially submitted a joint bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking a major push by the Southern African region to stage the continent’s biggest football tournament. The bid was confirmed by Botswana Football Association (BFA) President and Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) President Tariq Babitseng, who expressed confidence in the region’s ability to successfully organise the competition. COSAFA expresses confidenceBabitseng said the three nations possess the infrastructure and organisational capacity needed to host the tournament while aligning with the vision of Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe. “We have put in a bid and we are confident with the infrastructure we have, as well as the vision of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, who believes all regions should have the opportunity to host AFCON,” Babitseng said. “As COSAFA, we feel we stand a better chance to host,” he added. Strong hosting credentialsThe joint proposal combines South Africa’s experience in staging major international competitions with the growing football infrastructure of Botswana and Zimbabwe. South Africa hosted the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations and became the first African nation to stage the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Botswana and Zimbabwe, meanwhile, are looking to leverage the tournament to boost football development, tourism and sports infrastructure across their countries. Bid aims to return AFCON to Southern AfricaThe Southern African region has not hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in recent years, with the tournament rotating among other parts of the continent. The joint bid is seen as a renewed effort by COSAFA to bring the competition back to the region while ensuring greater geographical balance in the hosting of Africa’s premier football championship. Babitseng said the proposal reflects CAF’s desire to give every region of the continent an opportunity to host the tournament. CAF to evaluate proposalsCAF is expected to receive bids from several interested countries before selecting the host for the 2028 edition. The continental football body will evaluate proposals based on key criteria, including stadium standards, training facilities, accommodation, transport infrastructure, security arrangements and overall readiness to stage the month-long tournament. If selected, the South Africa-Botswana-Zimbabwe partnership would return AFCON to Southern Africa and provide a significant boost for football development, investment and tourism across the three nations. Spread the word