AFCON 2028: Botswana withdraws from joint bid with South Africa and Zimbabwe

Botswana authorities cited financial constraints for not supporting the project

Africa Today at 07:09

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AFCON 2028: Botswana withdraws from joint bid with South Africa and Zimbabwe

Botswana Botswana will ultimately not be part of the joint bid with South Africa and Zimbabwe to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations. The Botswana government refused to provide the guarantee requested to support the bid, preventing the Botswana Football Association (BFA) from submitting its application to the CAF.

CAF opened the bidding process on 3 July 2026 for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. Its bidding framework, developed with PwC and technical, financial and legal advisers, allows bids to be submitted by several countries.

Botswana had chosen this route with South Africa and Zimbabwe. The BFA was still preparing the documents to be submitted on 14 September, the deadline set after the process was extended. It had hoped to finalise the bid despite the lack of definitive government support.

The project ultimately did not come to fruition. According to Mmegi, the government refused to guarantee the bid, citing financial constraints in particular. The BFA, for its part, argued that no financial guarantee was yet required at this specific stage of the process. Botswana therefore did not submit any bid documents to CAF before the process closed.

South Africa and Zimbabwe continue with their bid

Botswana’s withdrawal brings the three-country project to an end. According to Mmegi, South Africa and Zimbabwe did submit their documents and have the government guarantees required for their bid.

The joint bid from the two countries therefore remains in the process to award the hosting rights for AFCON 2028. CAF said that the process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions was progressing and that several bids had been submitted. The host countries will be announced at a later date.

For Botswana, this latest attempt ends before its bid is evaluated. The country had already tried to secure the right to host AFCON 2027, which was ultimately awarded to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in September 2023.