Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have officially launched a joint bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking the first major sporting project under their Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The three military-led neighbours announced their proposal after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of Africa’s biggest football tournament.
Mali’s Football Federation said the joint bid would promote regional unity, solidarity and the long-term development of African football. It added that the three countries would work together to prepare a strong and credible proposal.
The bid comes as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger continue to deepen cooperation through the Alliance of Sahel States, which they formed after leaving the West African regional bloc ECOWAS.
Despite the announcement, the three countries continue to face security challenges, with parts of the region affected by attacks from armed Islamist groups.
Speaking in New York, CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the military-led governments would not be excluded from the selection process but stressed that security would be a key factor in deciding the host.
“They will have as good a chance as everybody else,” Motsepe said, adding that CAF must ensure fans, teams and officials can travel safely and that host nations meet the required infrastructure standards.
He also said the final decision on the hosts for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments would be made by CAF’s Executive Committee through a transparent process.
Burkina Faso hosted AFCON in 1998, while Mali staged the tournament in 2002. If selected, Niger would host the competition for the first time.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, marking the tournament’s first three-country hosting arrangement.