Namibia Distances Itself From Proposed Southern Africa AFCON 2028 Bid

Namibia has officially denied reports linking the country to a proposed joint Southern African bid for the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations.

The clarification follows recent comments by South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie and newly elected COSAFA president Tariq Babitseng, who suggested that Namibia was part of a regional effort to host the tournament.

However, Namibia’s Executive Director for Sports, Youth and National Service, Gerard Vries, said no such approval had been granted.

“The Government of Namibia has not approved or authorised any bid for the 2028 AFCON tournament. No financial or operational commitments have been made towards hosting the tournament,” Vries told the Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA).

He further explained that no budgetary allocation had been made because the country had not committed itself to any bidding process.

Last month, McKenzie announced that South Africa was pursuing a joint bid with Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Mozambique.

Babitseng subsequently stated during the COSAFA Congress in Harare that the regional bid had already been submitted before the deadline.

The latest development casts uncertainty over the Southern African proposal and raises questions about whether the bid can proceed in its current form.

Namibia had previously withdrawn from a joint bid with Botswana for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, citing concerns over the financial burden of hosting. The 2027 tournament was eventually awarded to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.