Africa's top football body, CAF clears Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to proceed with joint AFCON 2032 bid

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved the joint declaration of interest submitted by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), allowing the three West African nations to advance to the next phase of a competitive bidding process that could reshape the future of tournament hosting on the continent.

The decision marks the first formal step in the Alliance of Sahel States’ (AES) campaign to jointly stage Africa’s premier football competition. While the approval does not guarantee hosting rights, it confirms that the three countries have satisfied CAF’s initial eligibility requirements and are now qualified to proceed through the governing body’s technical and commercial evaluation process.

The Nigerien Football Federation (FENIFOOT) announced that CAF had accepted the declaration in accordance with Article 7.3 of its bidding regulations, describing the move as a significant milestone in the alliance’s ambition to bring the continent’s biggest football spectacle to the Sahel.

Earlier this month, CAF invited all 54 member associations to submit bids for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations under a newly enhanced bidding framework designed to improve transparency, governance and accountability in the selection of host nations.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe said the governing body had developed the framework in collaboration with international consultancy PwC and other legal, financial and technical advisers to ensure that host selection aligns with globally recognised standards.

The bid also reflects CAF’s growing embrace of multi-country hosting arrangements as a strategy to reduce infrastructure costs, strengthen regional cooperation and expand the tournament’s economic footprint. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, marking the first three-nation staging of the competition.

As part of the process, Dr Motsepe met the presidents of the football federations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in New York on July 18, where he welcomed their collective ambition and encouraged them to continue preparing a competitive bid that meets CAF’s technical and infrastructure requirements.

For the three countries, the bid carries significance beyond football. As members of the Alliance of Sahel States—a regional bloc established after their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)—the proposed joint hosting offers an opportunity to demonstrate regional solidarity while attracting investment in sports infrastructure, tourism and related industries.

CAF estimates that the Africa Cup of Nations attracts more than 3.2 billion television viewers and over 6 billion digital views globally, making the tournament one of Africa’s most valuable sporting and commercial assets.

Although several stages of technical inspections, financial assessments and competitive evaluation remain before a host is selected, CAF’s approval places Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger firmly in contention to deliver what would be the first-ever AFCON jointly hosted by the three Sahel neighbours.