By 
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have submitted a joint bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking the first major sporting initiative by the three countries since forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The announcement follows the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to open the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of Africa’s premier football tournament.
In a statement as reported by BBC, the Malian Football Federation (Femafoot) said the bid would be based on “solidarity, regional integration and the sustainable development of African football.”
The federation said it would work with the three governments and other stakeholders to prepare what it described as a credible proposal capable of delivering a successful tournament.
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The bid comes despite ongoing security challenges in the three countries, which continue to face attacks from armed jihadist groups. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are all governed by military administrations and last year withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after establishing the Alliance of Sahel States.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the three nations would receive equal consideration during the selection process despite concerns over security and governance.
“They will have as good a chance as everybody else,” Motsepe said.
He acknowledged that safety and security would be key considerations in evaluating all bids but stressed that no decision had yet been made on the host nation for the 2032 tournament.
“The standards are very high. We have to be convinced that there will be free movement of fans, that they will be safe and that the necessary infrastructure will be in place,” he said.
Motsepe added that while democracy, good governance and regular elections remain important principles, CAF would assess each bid on its merits.
The CAF Executive Committee will determine the hosts for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 AFCON tournaments after evaluating all submissions.
Burkina Faso previously hosted the continental championship in 1998, while Mali staged the tournament in 2002.
If successful, the 2032 edition would mark Niger’s first time hosting AFCON and the first tournament staged by the three Sahel neighbours together.
The next Africa Cup of Nations will be held in 2027 and will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the first three-country hosting arrangement in the competition’s history.
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