South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has confirmed the country’s intention to submit a formal bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), reopening Africa’s flagship football tournament to Southern Africa for the first time since 2013.
The minister said South Africa plans to invite Botswana and Namibia to join the bid, signalling a multi-nation hosting model aligned with the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) recent openness to regional co-hosting arrangements. The deadline for submitting letters of interest is 1 February 2026, after which CAF is expected to release detailed bidding requirements.
Southern Africa last hosted AFCON in 2013, when South Africa staged a widely praised tournament that leveraged existing World Cup-era infrastructure, including stadiums in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth. Officials believe this legacy gives the region a competitive advantage, particularly in terms of stadium readiness, transport networks, broadcast facilities, and accommodation capacity.
Government sources indicate that South Africa’s bid will emphasize cost efficiency, regional integration, and security coordination, while Botswana and Namibia would contribute additional venues and training bases, expanding geographic reach without the need for heavy new construction. Namibia’s experience hosting continental competitions and Botswana’s recent investments in sports infrastructure are expected to strengthen the joint proposal.
CAF has increasingly encouraged shared hosting to reduce financial strain on single countries, following successful multi-country tournaments in recent years. A Southern African bid would also align with CAF’s broader goals of regional balance, as North and West Africa have dominated hosting rights over the past decade.
If successful, the 2028 AFCON would mark South Africa’s second time hosting the tournament, reinforcing its status as a continental football hub while promoting cross-border cooperation and economic spillovers across the Southern African region.
