Govt refuses to back 2028 AFCON bid
Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday September 22, 2026 12:06
The CAF deadline for the submission of bid documents was last Monday, but Botswana was not among the countries that submitted their documents. It is now a missed opportunity for Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, which had been preparing to mount a joint bid. South Africa and Zimbabwe reportedly managed to submit the required documents, backed by government guarantees, while Gaborone authorities opted out of the process. Sources indicate that the Botswana government cited a lack of funds, although BFA officials pointed out that no financial guarantees were required at this stage of the bidding process. Botswana had been pushing to host at least one group, either in Gaborone or Francistown, where there is already a CAF-approved facility. However, sources said the government felt that hosting the tournament was not a priority, while football authorities argue that the decision represents a missed opportunity, particularly because the hosting burden would have been shared among the three countries. “There is disappointment because this was a good opportunity to host, given that the hosting load would have been shared among three countries. It is a missed opportunity,” a source said. Contacted for comment, acting Botswana Football Association (BFA) chief executive officer Bathusi Rathari referred inquiries to his president, Tariq Babitseng. Babitseng referred MmegiSport to the Ministry of Sports and Arts, saying it was the principal authority on the matter. Minister Jacob Kelebeng had not responded to MmegiSport’s inquiries at press time. Botswana previously unsuccessfully bid to host the 2027 AFCON finals, with the hosting rights ultimately awarded to a joint East African bid by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.