The Nigerien Football Federation (FENIFOOT) confirmed that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved their expression of interest, positioning the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as the first candidate bloc in the race.
Historic Regional Collaboration
This tripartite bid marks a significant moment of regional cooperation. If successful, the tournament would return to Mali for the first time since 2002, while Niger and Burkina Faso would host AFCON matches for the first time in their respective histories.
The proposal emphasises infrastructure development, cross-border integration, and the use of football as a tool for unity and solidarity among the three Sahel nations.
Next Steps and Challenges
Having cleared the initial pre-qualification stage, the three federations will now prepare a comprehensive technical dossier. Key challenges include:
- Meeting CAF’s infrastructure standards (minimum six compliant stadiums with capacities of 20,000–40,000).
- Ensuring robust transport links between host cities.
- Addressing security and financial guarantees under CAF’s evaluation framework, conducted alongside advisory firm PwC.
This joint bid highlights growing ambition from Sahel nations to host major continental events and could reshape the future landscape of African football hosting.
The final decision on AFCON 2032 hosting rights will be made by CAF in due course. All eyes will now be on how this pioneering proposal develops in the coming months.