Ethiopia has formally entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), submitting a government-backed proposal even though the country currently has just one stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) confirmed the bid, describing it as evidence of "the nation's full readiness to host Africa's biggest footballing event." The announcement has, however, drawn skepticism given the scale of the infrastructure challenge facing the East African nation.
Ethiopia has a rich history with the tournament, having hosted it three times previously, in 1962, 1968, and 1976, and even lifting the trophy on home soil in 1962. But the country's footballing infrastructure has fallen significantly behind other African nations in the decades since.
At present, only the 52,000-seat Bahir Dar Stadium in northern Ethiopia meets Caf's standards for hosting matches. The country is banking heavily on the Adey Abeba International Stadium, a 62,000-capacity venue under construction in the capital Addis Ababa, which is expected to be completed next year. Beyond that, three additional proposed stadiums remain in early development stages and would require substantial work to satisfy Caf's requirements before 2028.
Hosting a 24-team tournament spread across multiple venues poses a major logistical question for Ethiopia. Several regional stadiums are understood to fall short of Fifa and Caf standards regarding facilities and match-day operations. The nation's recent World Cup qualifying campaign underscored these limitations — Ethiopia was forced to play some home qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup at neutral venues in Morocco and Rwanda, though it did manage to host matches in Dire Dawa earlier this year.
Beyond stadiums, a successful Afcon bid would demand investment in training facilities, gyms, player accommodation, entertainment venues, and reliable transport and security systems. Security remains a particularly sensitive issue for Ethiopia's candidacy. While Addis Ababa is considered relatively stable, other regions of the country continue to grapple with armed conflict and political unrest, factors that could weigh heavily on Caf's evaluation.
Ethiopia's bid joins a competitive field for future editions of the tournament. Caf president Patrice Motsepe recently revealed that the confederation had received "exciting bids" for the 2028, 2032, and 2036 tournaments, with Afcon set to shift to a four-year hosting cycle beyond 2028. A joint Southern African bid from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe has already been announced for 2028, while Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — all currently under military rule — have signaled interest in co-hosting the 2032 edition. Reports suggesting Morocco could stage a repeat hosting in 2028 have been dismissed, with the kingdom reportedly focused instead on its role co-hosting the 2030 World Cup.//
Looking ahead, the 2027 Afcon is confirmed to take place across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, marking the tournament's return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia's hosting in 1976.
On the pitch, Ethiopia's Walia Ibex — currently ranked 143rd globally and 43rd in Africa — have struggled to replicate their historic success. Since their 1976 hosting duties, the team has qualified for Afcon only three times, with their last appearance in 2021 ending winless at the bottom of a group featuring Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and Cape Verde. For the 2026 qualifying campaign, Ethiopia defeated Sao Tome and Principe in the preliminary round and now sit in Group J alongside Senegal, Mozambique, and Sudan.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Africa.