CAN 2032: Three neighbors bid to host! (Official)

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso aim to jointly host Africa's most prestigious tournament

AFCON 24 July 2026 at 07:15

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CAN 2032: Three neighbors bid to host! (Official)

United under the Alliance of Sahel States, the three countries have taken the first step in a particularly ambitious joint bid.

Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are dreaming of co-hosting the CAN 2032. The Confederation of African Football has officially acknowledged their joint declaration of interest, allowing the trio to continue with the bidding process.

🚨 MALI 🇲🇱, NIGER 🇳🇪 AND BURKINA FASO 🇧🇫 ARE CONSIDERING CO-HOSTING CAN 2032!!! 🌍

🗞️ via @RMCsport pic.twitter.com/YQYcz3WObu
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) July 24, 2026

A working meeting was held on July 18 in New York between Patrice Motsepe and the presidents of the three football federations involved. The CAF president reportedly praised the project, which is based on regional cooperation, while emphasizing that all procedures must be strictly followed.

This initial approval does not mean the hosting rights have already been awarded. The three federations must now put together a technical dossier that meets the criteria set by CAF.

A powerful symbol for the AES

Politically united under the Alliance of Sahel States, the three neighbors now want to pool their resources in the sporting arena. The project would be based in particular on sharing infrastructure, expenses, and organizational responsibilities.

Burkina Faso has already hosted the CAN in 1998, while Mali was the host in 2002. For Niger, however, this would be a first. If their bid is successful, CAN 2032 would become only the second edition shared by three countries, following the CAN 2027 hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Security at the heart of the bid

The sporting ambition is real, but the challenge remains immense. The three countries will need to provide strong guarantees regarding stadiums, transportation, accommodation, cross-border travel, and, above all, the safety of teams and fans.

Patrice Motsepe has also acknowledged that "safety and security are issues we will have to address". The bid therefore carries significant symbolic weight, but its credibility will depend above all on the trio’s ability to translate political will into concrete guarantees.