Ethiopia has formally submitted a bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), stepping into the race to bring Africa’s premier football tournament to the Horn of Africa after a major scheduling change by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) confirmed that a formal proposal has been lodged with CAF, backed by firm guarantees from the Ethiopian government, a key requirement for hosting rights. The decision follows CAF’s announcement in December 2025 that AFCON will transition to a four-year cycle starting in 2028, prompting Ethiopia to refocus its ambitions from the originally targeted 2029 edition to the newly scheduled 2028 tournament.
EFF Secretary General Bahiru Tilahun told state media that the federation’s bid reflects strong political and financial commitment from Addis Ababa, with proposed infrastructural developments intended to meet CAF’s standards.
Infrastructure push and stadium plans
A major aspect of Ethiopia’s bid hinges on stadium construction and upgrades. While the country currently lacks a fully CAF-accredited stadium, several projects are at advanced stages:
- Addis Ababa National Stadium (Adey Abeba Stadium), a new 62,000-seat stadium being built in the capital, designed to meet international standards.
- Renovations and developments are also underway in Bahir Dar, Dire Dawa, Hawassa, Jimma, and Mekele, with authorities proposing these as potential match venues.
These projects are being positioned not just as football venues but as drivers of broader urban and sports infrastructure development across Ethiopia.
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Competitive hosting landscape
Ethiopia’s bid comes amid a competitive field of potential hosts. CAF’s bidding documents list entries from other nations, including a proposed bid involving South Africa and Botswana, which could present stiff competition given South Africa’s existing modern stadium infrastructure.
Though Morocco has been eyed by some sources as a possible host given its football infrastructure, no official bid from the North African nation has been confirmed for 2028 as yet.
CAF is expected to evaluate all bids based on several criteria, including stadium readiness, government guarantees, security plans, logistics, commercial viability, and legacy impact, before selecting a host.
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If successful, Ethiopia would host AFCON for the first time since 1976 and become only the second East African nation in recent decades to stage the tournament (following Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda’s joint hosting of the 2027 edition).
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