Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have taken a major leap in their bid to host the 2032Africa Cup of Nations. This move will see the three Alliance of Sahel States (AES) take another step in the continental football governing body’s bid process, but it doesn’t guarantee them the right to host.
In March, CAF announced to its 54 member associations that it was now accepting applications to host the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of its flagship men’s competition.
The decision to revise the selection process, which CAF stated was supported by consulting firm PwC, PwC, as well as technical, financial and legal experts, “enables” for a “transparent and globally recognized decision-making” mechanism.
FENIFOOT, the Niger Football Federation, has revealed that their joint bid with Burkina Faso and Mali fulfilled the criteria required by CAF to enter the next round.
The President of CAF, Patrice Motsepe, hosted officials from the football federations in New York City previously this month and, as per reports, congratulated them on their aspiration and urged them to remain competitive.
Should this bid be triumphant, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger would mark the first-ever Sahel nations to successfully co-host Africa’s most important tournament – following in the footsteps of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, which will co-host the 2027 AFCON.
