South Africa has officially entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, and alongside Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe submitted a joint bid to stage the tournament.
The announcement was confirmed by Botswana FA president, Tariq Babitseng, in Harare shortly after he was elected president of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA).
“We submitted on time to host the tournament in southern Africa,” Babitseng said.
“We have the transport routes and the infrastructure to host a successful tournament.”
South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe are already set to co-host the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, with preparations for the global cricket showpiece already underway.
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Hosting AFCON in 2028 would make it the second major international tournament the region stages within two years.
The bid also represents an opportunity for AFCON to return to Southern Africa for the first time since South Africa hosted the tournament in 2013.
Historically, South Africa hosted the competition for the first time in 1996 before welcoming it again in 2013, while Angola hosted the tournament in 2010.
Should CAF approve the bid, the 2028 edition could further strengthen Southern Africa’s reputation as a leading destination for major international sporting events.
