The government of Guinea has officially announced its intention to bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in either 2032 or 2036.
Guinean Sports Minister Mamadou Cellou Baldé said the country has submitted its official candidacy, with the government making hosting the continental tournament a national priority.
Guinea’s latest bid comes after the country lost the right to host the 2025 AFCON. The Confederation of African Football, CAF withdrew the hosting rights when Guinea was deemed unprepared in terms of infrastructure and facilities required to stage the tournament.
The new bid signals Guinea’s intention to use the coming years to strengthen its infrastructure and prepare for a major continental sporting event.
If successful, Guinea would have several years to complete the necessary stadia, transport, accommodation, and other infrastructural projects before the tournament.
Guinea’s candidacy is expected to face competition from a joint bid involving Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic for the 2032 edition.
The three Sahel countries previously announced their intention to jointly seek hosting rights for AFCON 2032, making their proposal one of the main competing bids for the tournament.
Senegal is also reportedly preparing a bid to host the 2032 edition, while Libya could seek to host the AFCON in 2028, 2032, or 2036.
The growing number of potential candidates could make the bidding process for future AFCON editions highly competitive as countries across the continent seek to host one of Africa’s biggest sporting events.