SA prepares bid to co-host AFCON 2028 with Botswana, Namibia

[FILE IMAGE]: A soccer ball on the field in a stadium.

South Africa will formally bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) football tournament.

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed this in an interview with South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

𝔹ℝ𝔼𝔸𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾 ℕ𝔼𝕎𝕊!!!

SABC Sport has learnt that South Africa is showing a strong interest to do a joint bid with Botswana for the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

✍️🏽 SABC Sport’s @Velile_Mnyandu #SABCSportFootball

— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) January 16, 2026

He says South Africa is preparing a bid in which it is looking to invite Namibia and Botswana to be co-hosts.

McKenzie says this is part of the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) plan to target international events to boost the country’s economy.

Only three AFCON tournaments have been hosted in Southern Africa and the region wants to host another before the new four-year cycle kicks in after the 2028 edition.

South Africa hosted the tournament in 1996 and 2013 and Angola was host in 2010.

The final of the 2025-2026 edition will be played in Rabat, on Sunday evening when Morocco take on Senegal.

AFCON 2025 REVIEW & PREVIEW ⚽🎙️

Tomorrow is the FINAL DAY of the show as AFCON 2025 wraps up.

We’ll be reviewing every AFCON match played from Day One to date — all the action, all the highlights.

📅 Sun, 18 Jan
⏰ 14:30
📺 SABC 1
📱 Stream on

AFCON… pic.twitter.com/ma4Ntaboeu

— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) January 17, 2026