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West African trio launch first official joint bid for 2032 Africa Cup of Nations
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have become the first officially confirmed bidders to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), after football authorities in Niger announced the submission of a joint file to the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
The Nigerien Football Federation said Caf had now formally validated the three Sahel nations’ “expression of interest” to stage the tournament, positioning the alliance as the earliest confirmed contender for the 2032 finals, which are scheduled to take place in six years’ time.
In a statement, the federation said: “يعلم الاتحاد النيجري لكرة القدم الراي العام الوطني واسرة كرة القدم بان الاتحاد الافريقي لكرة القدم اكد رسميا ان اعلان اهتمام بوركينا فاسو ومالي والنيجر بتنظيم كاس امم افريقيا 2032 اصبح معتمدا” – informing the public and the football community that Caf has officially endorsed the joint declaration of interest.
The move follows Caf’s call at the start of July for member associations to submit bids to host Afcon in 2028, 2032 and 2036.
Sahel alliance seeks first shared Afcon finals
The joint proposal from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger comes under the umbrella of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and marks a significant attempt by the three landlocked neighbours to strengthen their presence on the African sporting map.
If successful, it would be the first time the continent’s flagship football tournament is organised in this specific three-country format, and a notable sporting breakthrough for a region better known internationally for security and political challenges than for major event hosting.
The AES bid is currently the only formally acknowledged candidature for Afcon 2032. Senegal is widely expected to join the race, having signalled its interest in May through then sports minister Khady Diene Gaye, but Dakar has yet to have any formal submission confirmed by Caf.
For the three Sahel states, the project is being framed as a milestone in regional cooperation and infrastructure development, as well as an opportunity to showcase their football culture to the rest of the continent.
Libya steps forward for Afcon 2028
While the 2032 campaign is still taking shape, the contest to stage the 2028 edition has already produced a surprise.
Libya has officially announced its bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, making it the first country to confirm a candidacy for that tournament, which is due to be the last edition before Afcon moves permanently to a four-year cycle rather than the current two-year format.
Libya’s decision to enter the race has raised eyebrows, given the country’s prolonged instability and the scale of investment required to meet Caf’s hosting standards. However, it places Tripoli ahead of several other interested nations that have yet to follow up expressions of intent with formal files.
Among those that have previously signalled a desire to host Afcon 2028 are Egypt, a joint proposal from Botswana and South Africa, and Ethiopia, though none of these have had bids officially confirmed by Caf so far.
Morocco steps aside amid concerns over 2027 hosts
Morocco, which staged the most recent edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, has declared that it will not seek to host any upcoming Afcon tournaments.
That stance comes despite widespread reports that influential figures within Caf had hoped to persuade the Moroccan Football Federation to reconsider, particularly in light of continued doubts about the readiness of the joint bid by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania for the 2027 finals.
Concerns remain over infrastructure and organisational preparedness in East Africa, and Morocco – with modern stadiums and recent hosting experience – had been viewed by some within African football as a potential fallback option.
For now, however, the focus for Caf will be on assessing the emerging bids: Libya’s unexpected push for 2028 and the Sahel alliance’s groundbreaking joint proposal for 2032, with more contenders expected to come forward in the months ahead.