Zimbabwe and South Africa have submitted a joint bid to host a future AFCON. CAF has placed the process on the agenda of the Executive Committee meeting on 22 October, chaired by CAF president Patrice Motsepe.
Zimbabwe and South Africa have submitted an official joint bid to host a future Africa Cup of Nations, Soccer24 reports. The bid, which has not yet been decided, is already entering CAF discussions.
The matter will be examined on 22 October at a virtual meeting of the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football, chaired by Patrice Motsepe. According to the same source, the session is due to mark the formal opening of discussions on the bidding process.
Criteria and requirements
The meeting will not be limited to the Zimbabwe–South Africa bid. The Executive Committee will look at the eligibility criteria and the requirements that future hosts will have to meet. In a text quoted by Soccer24, CAF’s Communication Division states: “The CAF EXCO will also deliberate on the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) bidding process and other matters relating to the competition.”
According to Soccer24, the virtual meeting marks the official start of the diplomatic contest between the bidding federations. A formal framework is therefore being put in place around the bids, while other African nations are also preparing their own files to follow on from the editions already awarded.
The gamble of co-hosting
The Zimbabwe–South Africa alliance aims to replicate the co-hosting model increasingly favoured by CAF, Soccer24 explains. The two countries bring different strengths: South Africa offers the power of its modern infrastructure inherited from the 2010 World Cup, while Zimbabwe hopes to use the joint bid to modernise its national venues and bring them up to standard.
The division of roles is therefore at the heart of the project: one brings its infrastructure, the other hopes to modernise its own through the bid.
Next steps for the bid
Nothing has yet been settled on the calendar. The schedule for inspection visits by CAF technical expert delegations is to be determined soon, Soccer24 reports.
The next stage could come in Nigeria, at the November congress. According to the same source, the General Assembly planned for 21 November 2026 could address the voting and final awarding process, as well as the opening of inspection visit procedures and advanced discussions. At this stage, it is only a possibility.