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Neighbours Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are believed to be preparing a joint bid to have the tournament hosted in the region for the for the first time.
Southern African neighbours Botswana and Namibia have joined forces in an effort to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, and are working on finalizing a bid that will rival one from East Africa.
Neighbours Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are believed to be preparing a joint bid to have the tournament hosted in the region for the for the first time.
Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) opened the bidding process for the 2027 tournament this week during its latest executive committee meeting.
Rallying support from other members of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), the two nations are hoping to bring the tournament back to the south, 14 years after it was staged in South Africa.
The bid, known as BONA2027, represents the entire Southern African region, which last hosted an AFCON in 2013 - and has done so only thrice since the competition’s inception.
The 2027 AFCON hosts will be declared by CAF before September 2023, together with the hosts of the 2025 tournament.
Morocco, Zambia together with a joint bid from Nigeria and Benin are in the running for hosting the 2025 AFCON, but could also decide to submit fresh bids for 2027.
Botswana Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport, and Culture, Tumiso Rakgare said their bid is inspired by their neighbors South Africa, and their successful organization of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“East Africa may be a formidable contender, but we have faith in the strength and unity of the Southern African region,” Rakgare said.
“The 2010 World Cup has demonstrated not just hope and faith, it has without a doubt inspired all of us with the euphoria that anything is possible if you work towards a common goal and objective.”
“I reiterate my commitment to this bidding process, and I pledge without an iota of doubt, Botswana’s commitment to the course.”
As per the agreement, Botswana will contribute 60 percent of the resources required to stage the tournament and take the equivalent share of proceeds and benefits. Namibia, in turn, will provide and proclaim the lesser, 40 percent, share.
Furthermore, Namibia will host the opening ceremony of the tournament, following which the nation will provide sites for 12 of the 36 group stage ties.
Two-thirds of the group games will take place in Botswana, along with five of the eight round-of-16 ties.
The two nations will split the quarter-final and the semi-final ties equally, but Botswana will stage the third-place play-off, the final, and the closing ceremony.
Botswana’s men’s national team’s only appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations to date came in 2012, while Namibia qualified for the third time in 2019.
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