The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2031 and 2033 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, inviting all 54 member associations to submit applications for hosting rights.
The move creates a fresh opportunity for African countries to stage the continent’s flagship international football competition as CAF prepares for the next phase of its tournament calendar.
Under the revised bidding arrangements, interested football associations are required to submit declarations of interest by November 17, 2026, while complete bid documents, including government guarantees, must be delivered by December 8.
The invitation follows CAF’s decision to restore the Africa Cup of Nations to a two-year cycle, reversing its earlier proposal to move the competition to a four-year format.
The three editions will follow the 2027 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17.
CAF had previously received three proposals for the 2028 edition, involving Ethiopia, Morocco and a joint bid from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
However, the reopening of the bidding process allows other interested countries to enter the race, giving CAF a wider pool of potential hosts to consider.
The hosting selection process is expected to attract significant interest, with countries seeking to demonstrate their infrastructure, stadium facilities, transport networks and capacity to deliver a successful continental tournament.
CAF is yet to announce the successful hosts for the three editions.
AFCON HOSTING CALENDAR
– 2027 – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda
– 2028 – Host to be determined
– 2031 – Host to be determined
– 2033 – Host to be determined