Ethiopia enters 2028 AFCON hosting race after 50-year wait

Ethiopia has entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations after a wait of more than 50 years. The country last staged AFCON in 1976, when it hosted the continental tournament for the first time.

The Ethiopian Football Federation confirmed that it had submitted the bid to the Confederation of African Football. The federation said Ethiopia was prepared to stage the event, which will be the first AFCON played under the competition’s new four-year cycle.

Ethiopia’s bid will be assessed against CAF requirements covering security, infrastructure, stadiums, transport and accommodation. The country is facing insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia, its two most populous regions, while relations between the federal government and the Tigray region remain a stability concern.

The capital, Addis Ababa, is home to the African Union and stands about 2,300 metres above sea level, making it Africa’s highest capital. Ethiopia is also the continent’s second-most populous country, with a population of approximately 130 million.

Its football record presents another consideration. Ethiopia is ranked 143rd among FIFA’s 211 member associations and last appeared at AFCON in 2022. That campaign ended in the group stage, without a place in the knockout rounds.

Morocco hosted the latest edition of the tournament, while Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will jointly stage the 2027 competition. Ethiopia will therefore compete for the 2028 hosting rights as CAF reviews prospective venues and national preparations. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have separately shown interest in a joint bid for the 2032 edition.