Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have taken the first formal step toward a joint bid to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) approved their declaration of interest, the three countries' football federations said.
The approval, granted under Article 7.3 of CAF's bidding regulations, officially allows the three West African nations to proceed with the next phase of the bidding process. It does not constitute the awarding of the tournament but marks the beginning of CAF's formal evaluation procedure.
The announcement follows a meeting held in New York on July 18 between CAF President Patrice Motsepe and the heads of the football federations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
According to the Nigerien Football Federation (FENIFOOT), the discussions focused on the three countries' ambition to jointly host Africa's premier football tournament in 2032. The initiative is being pursued under the framework of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), the regional bloc formed by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The meeting brought together Burkina Faso Football Federation President Colonel Oumarou Sawadogo, Mali Football Federation President Mahazou Cissé, Niger Football Federation President Issaka Adamou, and Djibrilla Hima Hamidou, honorary president of FENIFOOT and a FIFA Council member.
CAF has not yet released a timetable for the remaining stages of the bidding process. Candidate countries will be required to submit comprehensive bid documents and demonstrate their ability to meet CAF's technical requirements, including stadium infrastructure, transport networks, accommodation capacity, security arrangements and operational readiness.
If successful, the joint bid would represent one of the most significant collaborative projects undertaken by the Alliance of Sahel States, reflecting the bloc's broader efforts to strengthen regional cooperation beyond political and security matters.
CAF is expected to assess all eligible bids before its Executive Committee selects the host nation or nations for the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations at a later stage.