South Africa and Botswana Target Joint Bid for AFCON 2028

_South Africa is exploring a collaborative bid with Botswana to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations

_Since 2013, the tournament has been hosted across Central, West, North, and soon East Africa (2027), leaving Southern Africa as the only major region without a recent hosting credit

_South Africa boasts an unmatched hosting history, including the 1996 AFCON, the historic 2010 FIFA World Cup, and the 2013 AFCON

_ The 2028 edition represents the final tournament before the transition to a new four-year cycle

_ Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie is currently in Morocco for the AFCON final, engaging in high-level talks as the bidding landscape for 2028 begins to take shape

South Africa is reportedly positioning itself for a major return to the center of African football, with news emerging from SABC of a potential joint bid with Botswana to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

According to sources, the South African government and football authorities are showing strong interest in bringing the continent’s premier tournament back to Southern Africa. This move would mean the competition returns to the region since South Africa stepped in to host the 2013 edition.

The timing of this bid is particularly critical because the 2028 tournament is expected to be the last one before the Confederation of African Football (CAF) transitions to a new four-year cycle, which will last until at least 2032. While South Africa and Botswana are preparing their case, they may face stiff competition from North Africa. Reports have surfaced that Morocco is considering a bid to host the 2028 edition as well, which would follow their current hosting of the 2025 tournament.

The push for a Southern African host is driven by the fact that the tournament has recently moved primarily through Central, West, and North Africa.

Since 2013, AFCON has traveled to Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and now Morocco, with the 2027 edition already awarded to East Africa through a joint venture between Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. A successful bid from South Africa and Botswana would satisfy a growing demand for geographic rotation and provide a professional platform for the tournament’s final biennial-style cycle.

South Africa brings an unmatched background to the table, possessing a proven track record of managing global sporting spectacles. The nation famously hosted the 1996 AFCON, where Bafana Bafana secured their first title, and the 2013 AFCON on short notice.

Most notably, South Africa successfully staged the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first and only time the world’s largest football event has been held on African soil. This infrastructure—comprising world-class stadiums, advanced transport networks, and extensive hospitality experience—makes them a formidable candidate for the 2028 rights.

The diplomatic groundwork for this bid appears to be in motion as top officials gather in Rabat for the upcoming AFCON final between Morocco and Senegal.

South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, is currently in Morocco along with other African sports ministers. His presence at such an event provides a key opportunity for the discussions and networking necessary to formalize a bid that could see the roar of African football return to the stadiums of the south.