The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has formally initiated the bidding race for three future editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, inviting all 54 of its member associations to throw their hats into the ring for the 2028, 2032, and 2036 tournaments.
In an official statement released on its website, CAF confirmed the launch of a competitive selection process that will determine the hosts for the continent’s premier football spectacle over the next ten years.
The move signals CAF’s ambition to secure long-term organisational stability and elevate the tournament’s global standing.
Under the newly unveiled framework, every eligible member association has the right to submit a proposal for any of the three editions. CAF emphasised that the process is designed to identify hosts with the infrastructure, commercial acumen, and operational capacity to deliver events of the highest calibre, meeting stringent technical and safety benchmarks.
To ensure transparency and impartiality, CAF disclosed that the bidding blueprint was developed in collaboration with its independent expert advisor, PwC, alongside a team of technical, financial, and external legal specialists. The governing body stressed that the framework is structured to foster fairness and robust competition among interested nations.
The announcement arrives just over a year before the continent turns its full attention to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, a historic joint bid that will see Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda co-host the tournament. That edition is scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking the first time the AFCON will be spread across three East African nations.
CAF has been steadily amplifying the tournament’s commercial footprint and viewership, with recent editions drawing record-breaking television and digital audiences. The AFCON currently commands a cumulative global television audience exceeding 3.2 billion and over six billion digital interactions, reinforcing its status as Africa’s largest sporting event and one of football’s most-watched global competitions.
For the winning bidders of the 2028, 2032, and 2036 tournaments, the rewards extend beyond prestige.
Host nations will gain a global platform to showcase their stadium infrastructure, tourism appeal, and logistical efficiency, while welcoming Africa’s elite national teams and millions of passionate fans from across the continent and the diaspora.
