Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Progress in 2032 AFCON Bid

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have made significant progress in their joint bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This initiative marks a step forward for the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in the bid process established by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

In March, CAF announced that it was accepting applications to host the 2028, 2032, and 2036 editions of AFCON, with a revised selection process supported by consulting firm PwC and various experts to ensure transparency. The Niger Football Federation (FENIFOOT) confirmed that their joint bid with Burkina Faso and Mali met the necessary criteria to advance to the next stage.

Patrice Motsepe, the President of CAF, met with officials from the football federations in New York City earlier this month, where he congratulated them on their ambitions and encouraged them to remain competitive. If successful, this bid would make Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger the first Sahel nations to co-host Africa's premier football tournament, following the example set by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda for the 2027 AFCON.