Ethiopia submits official bid to host 2028 AFCON

The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) confirmed it has submitted an official bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Ethiopia initially hoped to host the 2029 edition but the change in the schedule and time frame of future AFCON tournaments meant the Horn of Africa nation needed to revise its plan.

AFCON is often a tournament of surprises – but perhaps the biggest one has come before the tournament has even started.

At a press conference, CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced that, after 2028, future AFCONs will be held every four years, rather than every two, aligning… pic.twitter.com/vrvsk0qTmi

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) December 21, 2025

CAF introduced a new time frame for AFCON in December 2025, as the tournament will be staged every four years starting from 2028. EFF, backed by the Ethiopian government, was ready to submit a bid for the 2029 AFCON, and now the federation hopes to secure the 2028 edition.

State-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) cites EFF Secretary General Bahiru Tilahun as saying that EFF has officially bid for the 2028 AFCON rights. Tilahun added that the federation has the government’s guarantee to host the tournament.

Ethiopia is yet to have a CAF-accredited stadium, but the government is working to complete several stadiums. Among them is the Adey Abeba Stadium in Addis Ababa, where construction has reached its final stages. Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Dire Dawa, Hawassa, Jimma, and Mekele are potential host cities with stadiums.

Ethiopia will be vying for the hosting rights with other unspecified nations. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has previously stated that the country hopes to secure AFCON hosting rights.