South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe are considering a joint bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations as competition intensifies to stage future editions of the tournament.
The three nations are exploring a combined candidacy for one of the next three tournaments – in 2028, 2032 or 2036 – with discussions most advanced around a proposal for 2028, according to journalist Lassana Camara.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) opened the formal bidding process on 3 July, and a fresh dossier from southern Africa is understood to be among those being prepared.
South Africa, who had initially looked at a joint bid with Botswana, are now studying a three-way proposal with Lesotho and Zimbabwe. The shift in approach is thought to be linked to CAF’s decision to expand the final tournament to 28 teams, increasing the demands on host nations in terms of stadiums, training sites and infrastructure.
If confirmed and subsequently successful, it would be the first time the Africa Cup of Nations is co-hosted by countries from southern Africa on this scale.
South Africa’s experience, new ground for partners
South Africa have previously staged the competition alone on two occasions, first in 1996 and again in 2013. By contrast, Lesotho and Zimbabwe have never hosted the continent’s flagship tournament.
Zimbabwe did come close at the turn of the century. The country was originally awarded the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations but later had the hosting rights withdrawn, with the finals eventually being co-organised by Ghana and Nigeria.
For Lesotho, participation in a joint bid with its larger neighbours would represent an opportunity to host major tournament matches for the first time, while also sharing the logistical and financial burden of staging an expanded event.
The proposed regional alliance is being framed as a way to spread the benefits of hosting across several countries while pooling existing facilities and infrastructure.
Libya, Egypt and Ethiopia also in the frame
Any southern African bid would face competition from elsewhere on the continent.
Libya has already publicly declared its intention to host, with the president of the Libyan Football Federation (LFF), Abdolmola El Mograbi, confirming that the country is officially positioning itself as a candidate for one of the upcoming editions.
It remains unclear whether Egypt or Ethiopia have yet formalised their previously signalled interest for 2028. In a statement issued on Wednesday, CAF declined to name specific bidders, saying only that “plusieurs dossiers de qualite ont deja ete deposes” – several high-quality bids have already been submitted.
CAF has not provided a full list of candidate countries, maintaining a degree of secrecy around the process while applications are still being received and evaluated.
2032 race taking shape
While the focus for South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe appears to be 2028, planning is also under way for later editions of the tournament.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe has confirmed that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have formally expressed an interest in jointly hosting the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations. That three-nation proposal would mirror the emerging trend towards regional co-hosting as the competition grows in size and complexity.
Motsepe also indicated that further bids could yet come forward for 2032, with Senegal among the countries expected to consider entering the race, although no official candidacy from Dakar has been announced.
With multiple blocs exploring co-hosting arrangements and CAF openly welcoming multi-country bids, the contests to stage the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments are set to feature a mix of established organisers and potential first-time hosts from across the continent.
