Ethiopia has submitted a formal bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, reviving a decades-old dream of bringing football’s continental crown jewel home.
The Ethiopian Football Federation confirmed the submission, sending the required documents to the Confederation of African Football.
The move places Ethiopia in competition under CAF’s current bidding process, which covers the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have already secured hosting rights for the 2027 edition, staging it jointly across the three East African nations.
Ethiopia’s push builds on an earlier campaign. President Taye Atske-Selassie appealed directly to CAF in October 2024, seeking support for what was then a bid for the 2029 tournament.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed echoed that ambition the same month, pointing to new stadiums and renovated venues as evidence of Ethiopia’s readiness.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe welcomed the overture, voicing support for the country’s aspirations at the time.
A subsequent restructuring of the AFCON calendar shifted the tournament to a four-year cycle starting in 2028, prompting Ethiopia to redirect its bid accordingly.
The country’s football history runs deep. Ethiopia hosted the tournament three times, in 1962, 1968 and 1976, and lifted its only title on home soil in 1962.
Five decades have passed since Ethiopia last staged the competition. A successful bid would end that wait and put the country’s football legacy back in the spotlight.
It would also test Ethiopia’s expanding sports infrastructure against the demands of hosting a modern continental tournament.
For now, the bid marks another step in a sustained campaign, one aimed at reconnecting Ethiopia’s storied footballing past with Africa’s football future.
(Reporting by Fana Media Corporation)