Ethiopia has formally entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, setting the stage for a competitive bidding process for the first edition of the tournament under CAF’s new four-year cycle.
The Ethiopian Football Federation submitted a formal bid to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), according to Ethiopia’s state broadcaster, EBC. The bid reportedly carries a full government guarantee and represents a change from Ethiopia’s earlier intention to target a later edition of the tournament.
Ethiopia’s interest comes as CAF has officially opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. The continental governing body says its framework, developed with independent advisers including PwC, is designed to provide a transparent and credible process for selecting the host country or countries.
The 2028 contest is already taking shape as a multi-region battle. A joint Southern African bid involving Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe has been submitted, with the four countries proposing to share hosting responsibilities. COSAFA President Tariq Babitseng confirmed the joint bid and said it was submitted within CAF’s process.
Ethiopia, meanwhile, would bring considerable AFCON history to its proposal. The country hosted the competition in 1962, 1968 and 1976, while its national team won its only AFCON title on home soil in 1962. CAF records also identify Ethiopia as the last East African country to host the tournament before the 2027 edition returns to the region.
The 2027 AFCON will be staged jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, marking the first time three countries will co-host the continental championship. The tournament will run from 19 June to 17 July 2027.
The 2028 edition will also have added significance because CAF has changed the competition’s frequency. Following the 2027 tournament and the additional 2028 edition, AFCON will move from its traditional two-year cycle to a four-year schedule. CAF’s restructuring includes the introduction of an African Nations League intended to provide a major senior men’s national-team competition during the intervening years.
CAF has not yet announced the winner of the 2028 hosting contest. Its latest official communication says numerous bids have been submitted for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments and that further announcements will be made in due course.
For Ethiopia, a successful bid would represent a return of Africa’s premier national-team tournament to a country with a deep historical connection to AFCON. For the wider continent, the emerging contest reflects CAF’s ambition to distribute major competitions across its regions while using shared hosting models and stronger infrastructure to expand the reach of African football.