Ethiopia launches bid to host 2028 Africa Cup of Nations

Ethiopia has become the first country to publicly declare its intention to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, formally submitting its bid to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) said it had presented its official Bid Handbook to CAF with the backing of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) government, making it the first confirmed contender for a tournament that does not yet have a host.

In a statement, the federation said the submission addressed all of CAF's requirements and demonstrated the country's readiness to stage Africa's biggest football tournament.

"Ethiopia has formally submitted its bid to CAF to host AFCON 2028," the EFF said.

"Backed by the FDRE government, the EFF presented the official Bid Handbook addressing all requirements and reaffirming the nation's full readiness to host Africa's biggest footballing event."

CAF has yet to announce when it will choose a host for the 2028 finals. The 2027 edition will be jointly staged by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania – the first time three East African nations will co-host the competition.

• Historic host seeking a return

Ethiopia has a distinguished place in African football history. It hosted AFCON in 1962, when it won the tournament on home soil, and again in 1976. The country also finished runners-up at the inaugural competition in 1957.

Its fortunes on the pitch have faded since then, however, with Ethiopia qualifying for only two editions of the tournament this century, in 2013 and 2021.

Winning the hosting rights would mark a significant return to the centre of African football, but the bid is expected to face scrutiny over the country's ability to meet the tournament's demanding infrastructure, security and logistical requirements.

Ethiopia continues to grapple with security challenges, with armed conflicts affecting parts of the Amhara and Oromia regions.

With no other public bids announced so far, Ethiopia's early declaration positions it as the first confirmed contender as the race to host AFCON 2028 begins to take shape.