Ethiopia has formally entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, seeking to bring Africa’s premier football tournament back to the country for the first time in more than five decades.
The Ethiopian Football Federation has submitted its bid to the Confederation of African Football, with Ethiopia last hosting the tournament in 1976.
The bid comes as Ethiopia seeks to strengthen its position as a major continental sporting and diplomatic hub. The country, Africa’s second-most populous with about 130 million people, is also home to the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.
However, security remains a major challenge for the bid, with ongoing insurgencies in the Amhara and Oromia regions and concerns over a possible resurgence of conflict in Tigray potentially complicating efforts to host the tournament.
Ethiopia also faces challenges on the footballing front. The country is ranked 143rd in the world and last qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, when it was eliminated in the group stage.
Despite the challenges, the Ethiopian Football Federation has expressed confidence in the country’s readiness to host the continental showpiece.
The 2028 tournament would mark the beginning of a new four-year Africa Cup of Nations cycle, offering Ethiopia an opportunity to make a historic return to the centre of African football.
