Ethiopia has formally shown interest by submitting its bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), while seeking to stage the continental showpiece for the first time in more than five decades.
The Ethiopian Football Federation confirmed the bid in a post on X on Monday, saying the country was “fully ready” to host Africa’s biggest football tournament.
Ethiopia last hosted the AFCON in 1976 and is now hoping to bring the competition back to the country after a 52-year gap.
The bid, however, comes amid significant challenges, including ongoing insurgencies in the Amhara and Oromia regions and concerns over renewed conflict between the federal government and the northern Tigray region.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country with about 130 million people, also offers Addis Ababa as a major continental hub and the headquarters of the African Union.
The national team, however, has struggled at international level. Ethiopia are ranked 143rd in the FIFA rankings and last featured at the AFCON in 2022, when they exited in the group stage.
Morocco hosted the most recent edition of the tournament, while Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will jointly stage the next edition.
From 2028, the AFCON is expected to move from its traditional two-year cycle to a four-year schedule, bringing it in line with other major FIFA competitions.
Meanwhile, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have expressed interest in jointly hosting the 2032 edition despite continuing security challenges in the three countries.
