In a sudden plot twist for African football, Botswana has officially pulled out of its proposed joint bid with South Africa and Zimbabwe to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The shocking exit comes after the Botswana government declined to provide the crucial financial guarantees required by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), citing economic constraints and stating that hosting the showpiece tournament is simply not a national priority right now. While the Botswana Football Association (BFA) argued that full financial backing was not strictly mandatory at the initial stage, the government’s firm stance prevented the country from submitting its official bidding documents before the revised September 14 deadline.
The abrupt withdrawal completely dissolves the ambitious three-nation Southern African hosting partnership, which had originally planned to stage group-stage matches across Gaborone and Francistown. This marks yet another heartbreak for Botswana’s footballing ambitions after their previous attempt to secure the 2027 edition fell short when CAF awarded hosting rights to the East African trio of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Despite losing their third partner, South Africa and Zimbabwe successfully met all CAF requirements and submitted their official paperwork on time. The two neighboring nations are now pressing forward as a duo, hoping their joint infrastructure strength will be enough to win CAF’s final vote when the host destination for 2028 is officially unveiled.
Do you think South Africa and Zimbabwe can still win the AFCON 2028 hosting rights without Botswana? Share your predictions in the comments section below!
