Botswana has withdrawn from its joint bid with South Africa and Zimbabwe to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations. The decision was made after the government refused to provide a financial guarantee required for the country's participation. According to reports, the government cited financial constraints and competing national priorities. This move leaves South Africa and Zimbabwe to continue their hosting bid without Botswana.
The Botswana Football Association had earlier stated that the financial guarantee was not mandatory at the initial stage of the bidding process. However, the government ultimately decided not to provide the guarantee. Botswana also missed the deadline to submit bidding documents to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on September 14, 2026. South Africa and Zimbabwe, on the other hand, met the deadline and will now proceed with their bid as a two-country proposal.
The original bid had proposed matches in Gaborone and Francistown, with plans to utilise existing stadium infrastructure in Francistown while renovating the National Stadium in Gaborone. Hosting the tournament would have provided Botswana with an opportunity to stage matches at Africa's premier football event while sharing financial and logistical demands with South Africa and Zimbabwe.
This is not the first time Botswana has faced setbacks in its bid to host the AFCON. The country had previously sought to host the 2027 edition but lost out to a joint bid from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The withdrawal from the 2028 bid is another blow to Botswana's ambitions of hosting the tournament.
The CAF will assess the submissions from the bidding countries and determine the host or hosts of the 2028 tournament. The evaluation process will consider technical, infrastructural, financial, and organisational requirements. South Africa and Zimbabwe will now focus on their two-country bid, which will be evaluated alongside other competing proposals.
The 2028 AFCON hosting bid is expected to be highly competitive, with several countries vying for the opportunity to host the tournament. The CAF will carefully evaluate each bid to ensure that the host country can meet the required standards. Botswana's withdrawal from the bid has narrowed the country's chances of hosting the tournament in the near future.
The decision to withdraw from the bid has closed another chapter in Botswana's efforts to host the AFCON. The country's football association and government will need to reassess their strategy and priorities if they wish to pursue future hosting opportunities. The 2028 AFCON is expected to be a highly anticipated event, and the host country will have to demonstrate its ability to stage a successful tournament.
Key points
- Botswana's withdrawal from the 2028 AFCON hosting bid was due to financial constraints and competing national priorities.
- The country's football association had earlier stated that the financial guarantee was not mandatory at the initial stage of the bidding process.
- South Africa and Zimbabwe will now proceed with their bid as a two-country proposal.
