Ethiopia bids to host 2028 AFCON

Ethiopia has submitted a formal bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2028. This would be the country's first hosting opportunity in over 50 years, with its last appearance as hosts in 1976. Ethiopia, known for its large population of approximately 130 million people, is also the site of the African Union's headquarters.

The capital city sits at an impressive altitude of 2,300 metres, the highest of any African capital. However, the bid comes with considerable challenges. The nation is currently grappling with insurgencies in its two most populous regions, Amhara and Oromia, and there are concerns about potential civil unrest between the federal government and the northern Tigray region.

On the football front, Ethiopia's national team is ranked 143rd globally by FIFA, a far cry from the country's footballing ambitions. Ethiopia's bid was formally confirmed by the Ethiopian Football Federation via a post on X. The next AFCON will still be held every two years, but the tournament's schedule will change to a quadrennial format starting in 2028, aligning it with other major FIFA events.

Morocco currently holds the record for hosting AFCON, while Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will co-host the 2022 tournament. Sub-Saharan nations Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, currently battling jihadist violence, have also expressed interest in co-hosting AFCON 2032.