The countdown to the next era of African football has officially begun after the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) launched the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking the start of a new hosting cycle that will see the continent's flagship competition staged more frequently than ever before.
CAF has invited all 54 Member Associations to submit expressions of interest to host the three future tournaments, with bids open to both single nations and joint hosts under a newly developed bidding framework designed to enhance transparency, governance and accountability throughout the selection process.
The announcement comes less than a year before East Africa takes centre stage as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania prepare to jointly host the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
It will be the first AFCON to be staged in the region and the first time the tournament is hosted by the three East African neighbours, a milestone expected to transform football infrastructure and leave a lasting legacy across the region.
Unlike previous cycles, CAF is now introducing a revised competition calendar that will ensure a major senior men's national team tournament is held every year, except during FIFA World Cup years. Under the new model, the AFCON will continue to occupy its traditional place in the calendar, while the intervening years will feature the African Nations Championship (CHAN), creating an annual showcase for African international football.
The move is expected to increase the commercial value of CAF competitions, provide greater exposure for African players and national teams, and offer Member Associations more regular opportunities to compete on the continental stage.
To oversee the selection of future hosts, CAF has unveiled a comprehensive bidding framework developed with the support of global consulting firm PwC alongside independent technical, financial and legal advisers. The framework outlines the requirements prospective hosts must meet, covering areas such as stadium infrastructure, transport networks, accommodation, security, medical services, sustainability, governance and financial guarantees.
According to CAF, the objective is to ensure that every host nation is selected through a process that is transparent, credible and aligned with international best practice, while delivering tournaments capable of meeting the growing global profile of African football.
AFCON has become one of the world's most-watched sporting events, attracting more than 3.2 billion cumulative television viewers and generating over 6 billion digital views globally. Those figures have strengthened the tournament's commercial appeal and intensified competition among countries seeking the right to host future editions.
For Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, attention remains firmly on delivering a successful 2027 tournament. The three nations are investing heavily in stadium renovations, training facilities, transport infrastructure and hospitality services as they prepare to welcome Africa's biggest football event for the first time under the PAMOJA banner, a name chosen to reflect unity and regional cooperation.
A successful tournament in East Africa could also strengthen the case for future joint bids elsewhere on the continent, with CAF's latest invitation confirming that multi-country hosting remains an integral part of its long-term strategy.
With the bidding race now officially underway for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions, African nations have the opportunity not only to stage the continent's premier football competition but also to showcase their infrastructure, tourism potential and organisational capacity on the global stage.
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