CAF confirm South Africa, Botswane joint bid for 2028 AFCON

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will hold an important executive committee meeting on Friday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Chaired by CAF president Patrice Motsepe, the meeting comes at a pivotal time as attention turns to the upcoming CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in 2027. This meeting represents a significant moment in the countdown to the tournament, which will be the first of its kind to span across these three East African nations.

Motsepe’s leadership in CAF continues to forge a new path as the confederation prepares for transformative changes to its legal and disciplinary frameworks to enhance the integrity of African football. Motsepe’s push for reform follows the tumultuous events that marred the AFCON 2025 final held in Morocco on 18 January. The chaotic scenes that unfolded there were hugely embarrassing, especially with FIFA officials looking on.

The final match between Morocco and Senegal was overshadowed by crowd disturbances, including invasions of the VAR area, calls from Senegal’s coach, Pape Thiaw, for his players to leave the field, and violent clashes among fans. In his response, Motsepe advocates implementing stringent sanctions to deter disorderly conduct and prevent similar incidents in future tournaments.

Choosing Dar es Salaam for the meeting is strategic: the city is Tanzania’s economic hub and offers robust political backing for the collaborative initiative among Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. This support is crucial as the region prepares for its inaugural AFCON tournament, which promises to showcase East Africa on the continental stage.

Moreover, this gathering will allow CAF officials to assess various factors crucial to the tournament’s success. Discussions will focus on critical aspects such as the quality of playing pitches, stadium infrastructure, security systems, the fan experience, and training facilities.

Additionally, the executive committee will address the bids for hosting the 2028 AFCON tournament. As of Thursday’s deadline, CAF has received bids from Morocco, a joint proposal from South Africa and Botswana, and a standalone bid from Ethiopia. This competitive bidding process reflects the growing interest among African nations in hosting continental tournaments.

As East Africa prepares to showcase its hospitality and passion for the game, all eyes will be on the decisions made at this meeting, as CAF seeks to cement its commitment to the development and integrity of football on the continent.