Ethiopia Bids to Host AFCON 2028, 52 Years After Last Staging Tournament

Ethiopia has formally entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, launching an ambitious attempt to bring Africa's premier international football tournament back to the country more than five decades after its last hosting.

The Ethiopian Football Federation confirmed on August 24 that it had submitted its bid documents to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the proposal backed by the federal government. The federation said the submission addressed CAF's requirements and reflected the country's readiness to stage the tournament.

If successful, Ethiopia would host the Africa Cup of Nations for the fourth time. Addis Ababa staged the competition in 1962, 1968 and 1976, with the 1962 edition producing a historic moment for Ethiopian football when the hosts won their only AFCON title, defeating Egypt 4-2 after extra time in the final. The 1976 tournament was the last time Ethiopia hosted the competition.

The bid comes as CAF prepares for a significant change in the tournament's calendar. From 2028, AFCON will move from its traditional two-year cycle to a four-year schedule, meaning the 2027 tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be followed by the next edition in 2028. CAF formally opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments in July, inviting all 54 member associations to compete individually or through joint bids.

Ethiopia's case, however, will be judged on more than its football history. The country currently faces a significant infrastructure challenge. Its national team has in recent years been forced to play some nominal home matches outside Ethiopia because of the shortage of stadiums meeting CAF's requirements. Bahir Dar Stadium has received CAF Category 3 status, while the country's flagship stadium project in Addis Ababa has faced lengthy construction delays.

The government has nevertheless attached considerable weight to the bid. Ethiopian officials have indicated that the proposal carries state backing and a sovereign guarantee, while stadium and wider infrastructure development are expected to form an important part of the country's case. A new international stadium in Addis Ababa is among the projects being developed, although whether the required facilities can be completed and certified in time remains one of the central questions surrounding the bid.

Security could prove another major consideration. Ethiopia continues to face armed insurgencies and political instability in parts of the country, particularly in Amhara and Oromia, while tensions around the northern Tigray region remain a concern. Any successful AFCON bid would require organizers to demonstrate that teams, officials, supporters and international visitors could move safely between venues and accommodation hubs.

There is also strong competition. Morocco and a joint southern African proposal involving Botswana and South Africa have been reported among the contenders for 2028, giving CAF several different hosting models to assess. The final decision will depend on the technical, financial, infrastructure and organizational strength of each proposal rather than Ethiopia's historical connection to the competition alone.

For Ethiopia, the bid represents more than an opportunity to host football matches. Addis Ababa is the headquarters of the African Union and Ethiopia is one of Africa's most populous countries, giving the tournament the potential to become a major tourism, diplomatic and infrastructure showcase if the country can meet CAF's requirements.

The challenge now is turning political ambition into tournament-ready infrastructure. Ethiopia has the history, a large potential domestic audience and government backing, but CAF will ultimately need evidence that stadiums, transport, accommodation, security and other facilities can meet the demands of a 24-team continental championship. If Ethiopia succeeds, AFCON would return to a country that played a foundational role in the tournament's early history; if it falls short, the bid could expose just how much work remains before that history can be translated into a modern hosting project.

For African football, the Ethiopian bid also reflects a wider contest over where the continent's biggest tournaments should be staged as AFCON enters a new four-year era. Bringing the competition back to Ethiopia after 52 years would carry obvious historical appeal, but the real test will be whether the country can match that heritage with the infrastructure and security standards required to host a modern continental spectacle.