South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe launch joint bid to bring AFCON 2028

Southern Africa has taken a significant step towards bringing the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) back to the region, with South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe officially submitting a joint bid to host the 2028 tournament.

The three-nation proposal was confirmed by Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) and Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng, who said the countries had united behind a common vision to stage Africa's premier football competition.

If successful, the tournament would mark AFCON's return to Southern Africa for the first time since South Africa hosted the event in 2013. Recent editions of the continental showpiece have been staged in other parts of Africa, including Morocco and Ivory Coast.

Babitseng said the region was well-positioned to host the tournament and that preparations were already underway.

"Three countries being South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have put in a bid and the three countries will meet this weekend in a preliminary meeting just to see if there are any issues that need ironing out," he said.

"I can confidently say that these three countries have put in a joint bid and this was derived because in the past, the tournament was in Morocco, Ivory Coast and other countries. Now it's time for Southern Africa to host and that motivated us even more."

The joint bid seeks to combine South Africa's internationally recognised sporting infrastructure with ongoing stadium developments in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

South Africa boasts extensive experience in hosting major sporting events, having successfully staged the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2013 AFCON. Botswana and Zimbabwe, meanwhile, are investing in upgrading their football infrastructure to meet CAF requirements.

Babitseng expressed confidence that both neighbouring countries would be ready in time should the bid succeed.

"Zimbabwe is busy with refurbishment and they'll have their stadiums ready by next year. Botswana also has stadiums in Gaborone and Francistown, and I don't even need to speak about South Africa – they've hosted the World Cup," he said.

The three countries are expected to hold further consultations to finalise the technical and logistical aspects of the proposal before the bid progresses through CAF's evaluation process.

For Cosafa, winning the right to host AFCON 2028 would be a landmark achievement, providing a major boost to football development, tourism and regional cooperation across Southern Africa.

By combining South Africa's proven hosting credentials, Zimbabwe's rich football tradition and Botswana's growing sporting ambitions, the joint bid aims to demonstrate that Southern Africa is ready to once again welcome the continent's biggest football tournament.