Four Nations United for the Dream — Southern Africa's Joint Bid to Host AFCON 2028

Tariq Babitseng, president of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) and also president of the Botswana Football Association, has confirmed that four Southern African nations have submitted a joint bid to host the next edition of the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Babitseng said: "We have put in a bid, and we are confident with the infrastructure we have, as well as the vision of CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, who believes all regions should have the opportunity to host AFCON." According to available reports, South Africa is expected to host the largest share of the tournament's matches, while Zimbabwe could host a group, Botswana a group or even a semi-final, and Namibia would also host some of the tournament's matches. The move is part of Southern African nations' push to bring AFCON back to the region for the first time in years, amid competition from other bids across different parts of the continent.