Sahel states submit joint bid to host 2032 Africa Cup of Nations

The three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, have submitted a joint bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations on the 23rd of July. According to Africa News, Mali’s football federation said the plan is built on “solidarity, regional integration and sustainable development” of the game in Africa.

The three countries are currently ruled by authoritarian military juntas, while simultaneously fighting multiple terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), as well as the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Regardless, the three countries submitted the bid as the Confederation of African Football (Caf) opened applications for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions. 

Caf President Patrice Motsepe told BBC Sport Africa that the countries were “not going to be disadvantaged or prejudiced by the fact that they are military juntas”, further adding that they “will have as good a chance as everybody else” of hosting the tournament. 

However, Motsepe also added that the question had to be studied with realism, as terrorist risks and overall unstable climates are incompatible with an international competition of this calibre. Motsepe finally added that the decision would ultimately not be his to take: “There are so many presidents who think I have the power to decide that the Afcon is going to go to a certain country”.

The Malian, Burkinabese and Nigerien football federations met with Motsepe in New York just ahead of the FIFA World Cup final on the 18th of July. Colonel-Major Djibrilla Hima Hamidou, a FIFA Council member and honorary president of Niger’s football federation, also attended the meeting.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger said they would work with the relevant authorities to put together a strong bid. Burkina Faso and Mali hosted Afcon in 1998 and 2002, respectively.

Motsepe, while saying that the military juntas would not necessarily constitute a barrier, added that “Of course, democracy and freedom of speech and regular elections, that’s non-negotiable. And that’s critical…But I will be visiting those countries to engage on the football part.”

Africa News, BBC Sport Africa, Maghrebi.org