Ethiopia has formally entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) submitting its official bid to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and receiving backing from the federal government. The country is seeking to bring Africa’s premier national-team tournament back more than five decades after it last hosted the competition in 1976.
The bid places Ethiopia among the countries seeking the right to stage the first AFCON edition under the tournament’s new four-year cycle. CAF opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments in July, establishing a formal framework for evaluating prospective hosts.
Ethiopia has a long association with the continental competition, having previously hosted the AFCON in 1962, 1968 and 1976. Its latest attempt, however, comes with significant infrastructure and security challenges that the country will need to overcome before CAF makes its final decision.
The EFF said its submission included the required bid documentation and was made with the support of the Ethiopian government.
That government backing is particularly important because CAF’s bidding framework requires prospective hosts to demonstrate the institutional, financial and operational capacity needed to stage the tournament. CAF says its assessment process is designed around transparency, credibility and international best practices.
Ethiopia’s proposal is therefore more than a football federation initiative. The country’s federal authorities are positioning the bid as part of a broader effort to strengthen Ethiopia’s standing as a destination for major international sporting events.
Addis Ababa also provides Ethiopia with a significant diplomatic and logistical advantage. The capital is home to the headquarters of the African Union and has extensive experience hosting continental and international gatherings.
However, hosting AFCON requires considerably more than political support and a major capital city. Stadium certification, transport, accommodation, security and other tournament infrastructure will be central to CAF’s assessment.
The biggest question surrounding Ethiopia’s AFCON 2028 bid is whether the country can provide enough CAF-approved venues within the required timeframe.
Ethiopia has faced difficulties with stadium infrastructure in recent years. The national team has previously had to play home fixtures outside the country because of a shortage of venues meeting CAF requirements.
There has nevertheless been recent progress. CAF granted Bahir Dar Stadium temporary Category 3 approval in August 2026, allowing Ethiopia to host an upcoming international fixture at home. The approval followed improvements at the venue, although CAF identified additional work needed before permanent certification.
The situation highlights the scale of the challenge facing the bid.
For an AFCON tournament, Ethiopia would need a network of venues capable of meeting CAF’s technical standards, along with supporting infrastructure for teams, officials, supporters and international broadcasters.
Ethiopia’s bid carries considerable historical significance.
The country hosted the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations in 1962, when it won the tournament on home soil. It hosted the competition again in 1968 and 1976.
A successful 2028 bid would therefore represent Ethiopia’s return as an AFCON host after more than 50 years.
The country’s footballing history gives the proposal a strong narrative, but CAF’s decision will ultimately depend on its ability to satisfy modern hosting requirements.
Ethiopia’s previous experience of staging the tournament dates from an era when the competition was considerably smaller. The modern AFCON has expanded into a major international sporting event requiring extensive stadium, transport, hospitality, broadcast and security infrastructure.
Security is another major issue that could influence Ethiopia’s chances.
The country continues to face instability in parts of its territory, including insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia. There are also concerns over the possibility of renewed conflict involving the northern Tigray region.
Those issues could complicate preparations for a tournament involving national teams, thousands of travelling supporters, international media and commercial partners.
CAF’s evaluation will therefore need to consider whether Ethiopia can provide reliable security arrangements across all proposed host locations.
The government would likely need to demonstrate that tournament venues, team bases, transport routes and accommodation facilities can operate safely throughout the competition.
Ethiopia is not alone in seeking the right to host AFCON 2028.
The bidding process has attracted proposals from several African football nations, including Morocco and a joint bid involving Botswana and South Africa.
Morocco would enter the contest with significant recent experience after hosting the 2025 AFCON and possessing a well-developed network of modern sporting facilities.
South Africa, meanwhile, has previously staged major football competitions, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while its joint proposal with Botswana offers a regional hosting model.
This means Ethiopia’s bid will need to demonstrate a compelling combination of infrastructure readiness, government guarantees, financial capacity and organisational capability.
The 2028 tournament will be significant regardless of which country wins the hosting rights because it will mark a major change in AFCON’s scheduling.
CAF has decided to move the competition from its traditional two-year cycle to a four-year schedule, beginning with the 2028 edition. The 2027 tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, after which the next AFCON will take place in 2028.
CAF has also begun preparing the commercial framework for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 competitions, including a tender covering global media, broadcast and sponsorship rights.
That makes the 2028 tournament particularly important for the continent’s football authorities and prospective host nations.
Ethiopia’s formal submission now puts the country into CAF’s host-selection process.
The major areas that will determine the strength of its application include:
- Stadium capacity and CAF certification
- Transport and accommodation infrastructure
- Government financial guarantees
- Security arrangements
- Training facilities for participating teams
- Broadcasting and communications infrastructure
- Overall tournament logistics
Ethiopia’s recent efforts to improve its stadium infrastructure could strengthen its position, but significant work remains if the country is to convince CAF that it can deliver a tournament on the required scale.
Ethiopia’s AFCON 2028 bid offers the country an opportunity to revive its historic connection with Africa’s biggest national-team competition and host the tournament for the first time since 1976.
The ambition is clear, and government backing gives the proposal political weight. But Ethiopia faces a demanding test, particularly over stadium readiness and security.
CAF’s decision will ultimately determine whether Ethiopia’s bid becomes a historic homecoming or another missed opportunity. For now, the country has formally placed itself in the race and must turn its hosting ambitions into demonstrable infrastructure and operational readiness.
