Ethiopia has officially entered its bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a tournament it has not hosted in more than 50 years.
Late Monday, the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) posted on X to announce its hosting bid, noting that Ethiopia has not hosted the tournament since 1976.
As Africa's second-most populous nation, with roughly 130 million people, Ethiopia holds immense political and geographic significance. Its capital, Addis Ababa, sits at an altitude of 2,300 meters (7,546 feet), the highest of any African capital, and serves as the headquarters of the African Union.
The country also possesses deep footballing roots as one of the Confederation of African Football's founding members and has hosted the 1962, 1968 and 1976 tournaments, winning its sole continental title on home soil in 1962.
The bid faces major hurdles due to active insurgencies in Amhara and Oromia, Ethiopia's two largest states, along with rising concerns that conflict could reignite between federal forces and the northern region of Tigray.
Infrastructure will be key for CAF evaluators, with Ethiopia relying on the roughly 60,000-seat Addis Ababa National Stadium, also known as Adey Abeba Stadium, along with upgrades to regional venues to host the expanded 24-team tournament.
Currently ranked 143rd among 211 nations by FIFA, Ethiopia's national team last competed in the 2022 AFCON, where it was eliminated in the group stage.
"Ethiopia has formally submitted its bid to CAF to host AFCON 2028," the federation said on X, "reaffirming the nation's full readiness to host Africa's biggest footballing event."
Morocco hosted the most recent AFCON, while Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are set to jointly host the upcoming edition.
To align with FIFA's international calendar, the tournament will transition to a four-year cycle beginning in 2028.
Meanwhile, the football federations of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have jointly submitted a proposal to host AFCON 2032, despite ongoing jihadist conflicts in their regions.
