Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso — all military-led Sahel states — have jointly submitted a formal expression of interest to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations, which CAF has now officially accepted as the first step in the bidding process.
Football federation officials met CAF President Patrice Motsepe in New York during the World Cup final weekend, with the Malian federation calling it “a pivotal stage” enabling the trio to proceed under CAF’s bidding regulations. CAF stressed this acceptance doesn’t guarantee hosting rights.
If successful, AFCON would return to Mali for the first time since 2002 and Burkina Faso since 1998, while Niger would host for the first time, though its main stadium remains barred from international matches since 2022. No hosting decision timeline has been announced.
Several African countries have expressed interest in hosting the tournament, including Senegal. Sports Minister Khady Diène Gaye publicly confirmed in May that the country is accelerating infrastructure development to meet CAF standards.
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