Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have submitted a joint bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations, marking the first time three military-governed nations have sought to co-host Africa's premier football tournament. The bid comes as all three countries fight active jihadist insurgencies and face questions about their capacity to guarantee fan safety.
The application follows the Confederation of African Football opening the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments. Mali's football federation framed the proposal around "solidarity, regional integration and sustainable development" of African football, pledging to work with relevant authorities to build a competitive bid.
The Alliance Behind the Bid
The three nations quit the West African bloc Ecowas last year and formed their own alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States, focused on security, trade and infrastructure. Security remains the most pressing concern. All three governments are battling jihadist insurgencies and have shifted away from Western military partnerships toward closer ties with Russia.
Caf president Patrice Motsepe acknowledged the security challenge directly. He said the three countries "will have as good a chance as everybody else" and won't be disadvantaged "because they are military juntas," but added that safety questions "will have to be addressed." Motsepe insisted Caf must "deal with reality" while maintaining that democracy, free speech and elections remain "non-negotiable."
The heads of the Malian, Burkinabé and Nigerien football federations met Motsepe in New York on Saturday, ahead of the 2026 World Cup final. Niger's honorary federation president, Colonel-Major Djibrilla Hima Hamidou, also attended the meeting.
Infrastructure and Past Experience
Burkina Faso hosted Afcon 28 years ago in 1998, and Mali hosted the tournament 24 years ago in 2002. Next year's tournament, in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will be the first with three co-hosts. From 2028, Afcon switches to a four-year cycle.
Motsepe said he plans to visit the three countries to discuss the football aspects of the bid. He emphasized that the final decision on hosts rests with Caf's executive committee, not with him personally. Caf wants guarantees on fan safety, free movement and infrastructure before choosing any host.
The confederation president said Caf has received "exciting bids" for future editions and is still weighing whether to expand the tournament from 24 to 28 teams.
Media Expansion
Separately, the AES bloc is building its own media presence. Two days ago, Burkina Faso's transitional parliament approved two joint outlets, Daande Liptako Radio and Tafouk TV, meant to promote the alliance and boost regional cooperation on information. The move signals the three nations' intent to control their own narrative as they distance themselves from traditional regional institutions.
Why This Matters:
This bid tests whether international sports bodies can separate athletic competition from governance concerns. The three military governments are asking Caf to entrust them with a major continental event while they face ongoing security crises and questions about democratic legitimacy. The decision will signal whether practical considerations like infrastructure and past hosting experience outweigh concerns about government stability and human rights. It also reveals the growing assertiveness of the Alliance of Sahel States as a counterweight to traditional regional institutions like Ecowas. If successful, the bid would legitimize the alliance on the international stage and demonstrate that military governments can secure major sporting events despite Western criticism. The security guarantees Caf demands will be difficult to provide given the active insurgencies, raising questions about whether the bid is realistic or primarily symbolic.