Ethiopia Submits Official Bid to Host 2028 Africa Cup of Nations

Ethiopia has submitted an official bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, according to BBC Sport Africa. The Ethiopian Football Federation said the proposal has government backing and presents the country as ready to stage Africa's leading international football tournament, although major infrastructure questions remain before any hosting decision.

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Ethiopia staged the competition in 1962, 1968 and 1976, but had only one stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football last season. The country played home qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup at neutral venues in Morocco and Rwanda, though matches were held in Dire Dawa earlier in 2026.

The 52,000-seat Bahir Dar Stadium is currently Ethiopia's only CAF-approved venue, BBC Sport Africa reported. A new 62,000-capacity Adey Abeba International Stadium in Addis Ababa is expected to be completed in 2027, while three other proposed stadium projects are at earlier stages and would require substantial work to meet CAF standards before the tournament.

A 24-team Africa Cup of Nations requires multiple compliant venues as well as training grounds, accommodation, transport and security arrangements. Existing regional facilities are understood to fall short of FIFA or CAF requirements in areas including infrastructure and match-day operations. Armed conflict and political unrest in parts of Ethiopia also remain among the issues the bid would need to address.

Ethiopia is not the only declared contender. Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe announced a joint Southern African bid earlier in 2026. BBC Sport Africa reported that Morocco, which hosted the 2025 edition, is not pursuing the 2028 tournament and is instead concentrating on preparations to co-host the 2030 World Cup.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, returning the competition to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted in 1976. Ethiopia won its only continental title at home in 1962 but has qualified only three times since its last hosting appearance. Its most recent finals campaign came at the delayed 2021 edition, where it finished bottom of a group containing Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde without a victory.