Wayne Lumbasi
Four Southern African countries – South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia have launched a joint bid to host the 2028 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, aiming to bring the continent’s biggest football tournament back to the region.
Football authorities from the four nations confirmed that a combined proposal has been submitted to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the body responsible for organizing African football competitions. The proposal outlines a shared hosting model in which matches would be staged across several cities in the four countries.
Under the plan, South Africa is expected to stage the largest number of matches due to its established stadium infrastructure and experience hosting major international tournaments. Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia would host several group-stage matches and could also stage knockout games if the joint bid is successful.
Officials say the initiative is intended to strengthen football development across Southern Africa while boosting tourism, infrastructure growth and regional cooperation. Hosting the tournament would also provide an opportunity for upgrades to stadiums, transport networks and hospitality facilities ahead of the continental competition.
Southern Africa has hosted the tournament before, with South Africa staging the competition in 1996 and again in 2013. The latest proposal reflects a growing trend toward joint hosting arrangements for major football events in Africa.
The upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking the first time the tournament will be held across the three East African nations.
The Confederation of African Football is expected to review submissions from interested countries before announcing the host for the 2028 tournament. If the Southern African proposal succeeds, it would mark one of the most extensive multi-country hosting arrangements in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
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