Ethiopia bids to host 2028 Afcon
The bid faces numerous obstacles, including security challenges from insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia and the risk of renewed conflict in Tigray.
The African Cup of Nations (Afcon) is set to shift to a new schedule, with the next tournament slated to be held every four years starting in 2028. Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania are currently the co-hosts for the 2022 edition. Ethiopia has formally submitted its bid to host Afcon 2028, marking its first appearance in over half a century since the 1976 tournament.
The Ethiopian Football Federation confirmed the bid on X, expressing full readiness to host the continent's premier football event. Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous nation with approximately 130 million people, has the highest altitude of any African capital at 2,300 meters. However, the bid faces significant challenges, including insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia, the country's two most populous states, and the threat of a renewed civil war between the federal government and the northern Tigray region.
The Ethiopian national team currently ranks 143rd out of 211 in FIFA rankings and last participated in Afcon in 2022, where they were eliminated in the group stage.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
