The Libyan Football Federation, together with the Ministry of Sports, intends to submit a bid to host the 2033 AFCON. According to Alwasat, a letter of intent is expected on 17 November, ahead of a final dossier on 8 December.
Libya wants to get back on the map of major continental tournaments. According to Libyan outlet Alwasat, the Libyan Football Federation, in coordination with the Ministry of Sports of the Government of National Unity, intends to submit an official bid to host the 2033 AFCON. The country is aiming to stage the competition for the second time in its history, after the 1982 edition held on its soil.
The CAF timetable is already known: Libya’s letter of intent must be submitted on 17 November, ahead of the final bid dossier, expected on 8 December.
Three AFCONs open, a tight schedule
Bidding opened at CAF’s strategic congress, hosted in Cape Verde from 7 to 9 October 2026, with representatives of member associations in attendance. It was there that the body opened bids for the 2028, 2031 and 2033 AFCONs, as reported by Alwasat.
The tournament sequence is already mapped out: the next AFCON will be held in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, before the 2028, 2031 and then 2033 editions.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe explained that these changes are meant to “serve the interests of African football and the member associations, as well as African professional players outside the continent”. He also indicated that the African Nations League project will take several years before providing the financial resources needed to strengthen the global competitiveness of CAF competitions.
Tripoli and Benghazi as the showcase
The Libyan bid will rely on the recent development of sports infrastructure, in particular the international stadiums in Tripoli and Benghazi, according to Alwasat.
It is not Libya’s first attempt: the country has already hosted the AFCON, in 1982, on its soil. The bid thus follows on from that national precedent, which the federation and the ministry intend to put forward for this new candidacy.
Two deadlines to meet
The 17 November 2026 deadline is the first appointment: that is when the federation must submit its letter of intent. The final bid dossier will follow on 8 December 2026, less than three weeks later, according to the timetable reported by Alwasat.
The Libyan bid concerns the 2033 AFCON, one of the three editions for which CAF has opened the process, along with 2028 and 2031. It is being put forward by the federation in coordination with the Ministry of Sports of the Government of National Unity.