Govt refuses to back 2028 AFCON bid

The CAF deadline for the submission of bid documents was last Monday, but Botswana was not among the countries that submitted their documents. It is now a missed opportunity for Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, which had been preparing to mount a joint bid. South Africa and Zimbabwe reportedly managed to submit the required documents, backed by government guarantees, while Gaborone authorities opted out of the process. Sources indicate that the Botswana government cited a lack of funds, although BFA officials pointed out that no financial guarantees were required at this stage of the bidding process. Botswana had been pushing to host at least one group, either in Gaborone or Francistown, where there is already a CAF-approved facility.