African soccer’s governing body has launched the search for host countries for three upcoming editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, setting a November 17 deadline for interested nations to declare their intentions.
- Short-notice bidding for the 2028 edition favors nations with existing infrastructure, such as previous bidders Morocco or South Africa.
The Confederation of African Football initiated the host search after its executive committee unanimously decided to revert to a two-year cycle format, Sportcal reported. The federation had announced its intention to switch AFCON to a four-year cycle last December. That move drew condemnation from many on the continent, who opposed the decision on the basis that it would reduce commercial visibility, sponsorship inventory, playing opportunity, and soccer development.
Faced with a halved commitment to AFCON, the leadership committee concluded that a proposed nations league tournament would require too much time to recover the resulting financial deficit. CAF is now looking for hosts to stage the 2028, 2031, and 2033 tournaments, placing a deadline for countries to declare interest by November 17. A further deadline for proper submissions of all related documents and government guarantees is set for December 8.
Prior to the earlier switch, CAF had received three bids to host the 2028 tournament. Because the tournament is returning to a biennial schedule on short notice, readiness will likely determine which of those three candidates secures the 2028 hosting rights.
| Bidder | Previous Hosting Years | Bid Type |
|---|---|---|
| Morocco | 1976 (Hosted 2025 tournament) | Single nation |
| Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe | South Africa (1996, 2013) | Joint bid |
Among those trio of candidates, Morocco stands out as the most capable of preparing adequate stadiums within just one year. Still, South Africa’s considerable influence and the advantage of sharing responsibilities among multiple nations could tip the scales in another direction, particularly since CAF has shown a newfound willingness to accept joint-hosting bids.
Furthermore, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are set to co-host the upcoming 2027 edition of AFCON, representing the tournament’s debut with a trio of host countries.
An additional logistical concern for prospective hosts stems from a March announcement by CAF president Patrice Motsepe. He revealed that, in future, each AFCON will feature 28 teams instead of 24, a format that has been in place since the tournament expanded from 16 teams in 2019.
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