Senegal is preparing a fresh attempt to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations as the country seeks to stage the continent’s biggest football competition for the first time in four decades.
The Senegalese Football Federation is working on an official bid for the tournament after previous efforts to secure hosting rights in recent years ended unsuccessfully.
Senegal last hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1992, and the country’s football authorities are now hoping to bring the competition back to the nation amid the continued rise of Senegalese football on the continental stage.
The plans were confirmed by Khady Diène Gaye during a parliamentary session discussing a proposed sports law.
According to the minister, preparations for the bid are already underway.
“Senegal is already preparing its bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations.”
Renewed ambition after recent setbacks
The latest move comes only months after Senegal withdrew from the race to host the 2029 edition of the tournament.
That decision followed disappointment over the country’s unsuccessful attempt to secure the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which was awarded to the joint bid presented by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
After losing the 2027 hosting race, Augustin Senghor, president of the Senegalese Football Federation, suggested that Senegal could return with another proposal for a future edition.
There were also discussions at the time regarding a possible joint hosting project involving Gambia and Guinea, although those plans were eventually abandoned.
The decision to pursue the 2032 edition alone reflects Senegal’s continued determination to secure the hosting rights despite repeated setbacks.
Stadium infrastructure remains major concern
One of the principal challenges facing Senegal’s bid remains stadium infrastructure and compliance with the standards required by the Confederation of African Football.
At present, only the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio is considered fully compliant with CAF requirements for major continental tournaments.
Meanwhile, the historic Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium, long regarded as the home of the “Lions of Teranga”, remains under renovation.
Another venue in the city of Thiès, located around 75 kilometres from the capital Dakar, is currently limited to youth and age-group competitions rather than major senior international tournaments.
The lack of qualifying stadiums in other regions of the country is also viewed as a major obstacle.
Expanding and upgrading football infrastructure across Senegal is therefore expected to become one of the central priorities if the country hopes to strengthen its candidacy before CAF begins evaluating bids.
Hope of bringing AFCON back home
Senegal’s renewed hosting ambition comes during a successful era for the national team, known as the “Lions of Teranga”, which has become one of Africa’s leading football nations in recent years.
The country hopes that its growing football reputation, combined with ongoing infrastructure projects, could improve its chances of finally bringing the Africa Cup of Nations back to Senegalese soil.
Whether the latest bid succeeds may largely depend on how quickly the country can address stadium development and meet the demanding organisational standards required for one of Africa’s biggest sporting events.
