“AFCON Hosting Battle Intensifies As CAF Delays Verdict”
By FRED LONGJOHN OBEH
THE race to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the 2029–2035 cycle has grown even more competitive after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that it is postponing its final decision on the successful bidders. The update followed the body’s most recent Executive Committee meeting, where members agreed that more time was needed to complete evaluations before awarding hosting rights.
CAF has so far confirmed five official expressions of interest. Angola, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Senegal have all submitted individual bids, while Mali and Guinea have teamed up to pursue a joint hosting proposal. The diversity of the bids reflects renewed continental ambition as nations position themselves to leverage football as a catalyst for infrastructure expansion and economic growth.
However, despite rising anticipation, CAF chose not to confirm any host nation, signalling a rigorous assessment process still underway. The organisation is expected to carry out additional inspections and review each country’s readiness, including stadium standards, transportation networks, accommodation capacity, and projected investment commitments.
The delay underscores how tightly contested the hosting race has become, with bidding nations lobbying behind the scenes and working to meet CAF’s increasingly demanding criteria. Stakeholders across African football have urged CAF to ensure transparency and long-term planning, noting that the chosen hosts will significantly influence the sport’s development trajectory over the next decade.
CAF is expected to release fresh timelines for the final announcement soon. Until then, the competition for AFCON 2029–2035 remains wide open—setting the stage for one of the most consequential hosting decisions in recent years.
