Ethiopia bids to host Africa Cup of Nations 2028 after 52 years

Ethiopia is officially in the race to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2028, potentially bringing the continent’s biggest football tournament back to the country for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Ethiopian Football Federation has formally submitted its bid to CAF, with the country last hosting AFCON in 1976.

Ethiopia is Africa’s second-most populous nation, home to around 130 million people, and its capital, Addis Ababa, is the headquarters of the African Union.

But the bid faces serious challenges. Ongoing insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia, along with fears of renewed conflict in Tigray, raise major security concerns.

On the football side, Ethiopia ranks 143rd in the world and last appeared at AFCON in 2022, exiting in the group stage.

Still, the federation says the country is fully ready to host Africa’s biggest football event.

And with AFCON moving to a four-year cycle from 2028, Ethiopia is aiming for a historic return to the continental stage.