Speaking about the potential bid, Traoré said: “We need to strike the word ‘impossible’ from our vocabulary. 2032 is still a long way off. If we want to, we can. And three countries are more than enough. If we get serious about it, we can do it. Even Burkina Faso alone, if we decide to host the AFCON in 2032, we will do it.”
He pointed to ongoing plans for sports infrastructure, stating that building stadiums is no longer a monumental challenge. “We can build a stadium; we are already working on that. We are launching a vast programme for numerous sports infrastructure projects,” Traoré said.
On accommodation and security, the Burkinabe leader was equally upbeat. “As for hotels, we already have the capacity to accommodate everyone. Regarding security and other factors, we need to put everything in place so that those visiting our countries have a truly safe experience.”
Traoré concluded: “So, if we want to, we can. It’s not an insurmountable task; it is entirely possible. It’s not even overly ambitious, it is quite feasible. And we are going to do it.”
Burkina Faso, together with Mali and Niger, has already submitted a joint expression of interest to host the 2032 AFCON as part of the Alliance of Sahel States. CAF has accepted the declaration, allowing the three countries to proceed to the next stage of the bidding process.
Burkina Faso previously hosted the tournament in 1998, while Mali staged it in 2002. A successful joint bid would mark Niger’s first time hosting the continental showpiece.
Traoré’s comments underline the determination of the Sahel nations to bring Africa’s premier football competition to the region and to demonstrate that ambitious infrastructure projects can be delivered.