Ethiopia has officially entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as the East African nation seeks to bring Africa’s biggest football tournament back to the country.
The Ethiopian Football Federation submitted its bid to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), joining Morocco and a joint bid from South Africa and Botswana in the competition for hosting rights.
Ethiopia is no stranger to hosting the prestigious tournament. The country previously staged AFCON in 1962, 1968 and 1976. The 1962 edition remains particularly memorable for Ethiopian football, as the hosts won the competition — their first and only AFCON title to date.
However, hosting the 2028 tournament could present a major infrastructure challenge. Ethiopia is working to improve its sporting facilities, with stadium projects and upgrades expected to play a key role in meeting CAF’s requirements.
The 2028 edition is also expected to mark a new chapter for African football, following CAF’s decision to move the AFCON from a biennial competition to a four-year cycle.
With a rich football history and the ambition to develop world-class sporting infrastructure, Ethiopia will hope its bid can convince CAF to award the country the right to host Africa’s biggest football event.
