Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have officially begun moves to jointly host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking a rare regional collaboration among the three military-led West African nations.
The Malian Football Federation disclosed in a statement that its officials held talks with the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, in New York on Saturday to discuss a possible joint bid for the prestigious continental tournament.
According to the federation, the meeting focused on advancing the proposal for the three neighbouring countries to stage the 2032 AFCON together.
Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a regional bloc formed by the three nations following military takeovers in each country.
Despite facing persistent security challenges caused by extremist attacks that have claimed thousands of lives across the Sahel, the countries are seeking to demonstrate their capacity to host one of Africa’s biggest sporting events through a united bid.
The Malian federation said the CAF meeting marks “a pivotal stage in the bidding process”, enabling the three member associations to “proceed with the steps outlined in CAF regulations for the awarding of the 2032 AFCON”.
The three federations will continue “the work required to prepare a robust, credible bid that embodies a new vision for African football”, the statement added.
Burkina Faso hosted the AFCON in 1998 and Mali in 2002. Niger has never hosted the biennial tournament.
Mali has five CAF-approved stadiums, while Burkina Faso secured approval in 2025 for the main stadium in Ouagadougou.
Niger, meanwhile, is continuing to bring its General Seyni Kountche Stadium which has been barred from hosting international matches since 2022 up to standard.
The next AFCON will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
