The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially reopened the bidding process for the hosting rights of the 2028, 2031 and 2033 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments following its decision to restore the competition to a two-year cycle.
The latest development gives all 54 CAF member associations another opportunity to express interest in hosting the continent’s biggest football competition, including countries that did not participate in the previous bidding process.
According to a letter circulated by CAF, the 2028 AFCON edition remains unchanged, while the previously proposed 2032 and 2036 tournaments have been replaced with the 2031 and 2033 editions, respectively.
The decision reflects CAF’s revised tournament calendar, which will see the Africa Cup of Nations return to its traditional biennial format.
CAF has also clarified that associations that previously submitted a Declaration of Interest are not required to submit another one.
However, all member associations, including those that did not submit bids previously, are now eligible to participate in the renewed process.
The governing body has outlined three important deadlines for interested countries.
The deadline for submitting a Declaration of Interest is November 17, 2026, at 18:00 Cairo time.
Requests for clarification must be submitted by November 24, 2026, at 18:00 Cairo time, while completed hosting bids must reach CAF no later than December 8, 2026, at 18:00 Cairo time.
CAF has further confirmed that countries can submit individual or joint bids and are permitted to express interest in hosting more than one edition of the tournament.
The continental football governing body has assured all interested associations that the bidding process will be conducted fairly and transparently.
It also stressed that countries that participated in the previous bidding exercise will not enjoy any preferential treatment or advantage over new applicants.
Meanwhile, CAF is expected to announce the specific dates for the three tournaments at a later stage.
The reopening of the bidding process is expected to generate renewed interest among African nations seeking to host the prestigious competition, which remains one of the continent’s biggest sporting events.
