MBABANE - Lesotho has officially thrown its hat into the ring to co-host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
This is despite currently lacking a single stadium that meets Confederation of African Football (CAF) or International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) standards. While Maseru signals its ambition, neighbouring Eswatini has maintained a conspicuous silence regarding the emerging Southern African joint bid. Notably, Lesotho is one of 10 countries in the continent that are yet to qualify for AFCON. Others are Central African Republic, Chad, São Tomé and Príncipe, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, Eswatini and Seychelles.
The move comes as member nations within the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) reportedly rally behind a multi-nation proposal spearheaded by South Africa. Pretoria has already declared its readiness to anchor the tournament alongside Namibia and Botswana.
South Africa’s Minister for Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, recently revealed that both Lesotho and Mozambique have expressed a keen interest in joining the regional coalition. This was subsequently confirmed by Lesotho’s Minister for Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture, Motlatsi Maqelepo, who stated that Maseru has formally written to South Africa seeking inclusion in the hosting arrangement.
The bid has raised eyebrows across the continent regarding Lesotho’s immediate preparedness. The kingdom’s primary venue, Setsoto Stadium, has been barred from hosting international fixtures since 2021 after failing to meet stringent CAF requirements. This lapse has forced the national team to play ‘home’ fixtures on foreign soil, primarily in South Africa.
Eswatini, on the other hand, finds itself in a similarly precarious position. The Somhlolo National Stadium remains restricted from hosting high-level international matches beyond the early group stages. Despite receiving a temporary reprieve in October last year, the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs recently announced a regression: The venue is now restricted to local matches following partial renovations. Furthermore, local clubs are being hit with a E10 000 booking fee to use the facility.
Despite these glaring infrastructure deficits, Minister Maqelepo remains optimistic. He argued that a successful AFCON bid could serve as the necessary catalyst to overhaul the nation’s sporting facilities. He confirmed that refurbishment plans for Setsoto Stadium are already in motion while the government awaits a formal response from Pretoria.
The trend toward regional collaboration is gaining momentum following the successful joint bid of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania for AFCON 2027.
Lesotho Minister for Tourism, Sports, Arts and Culture Motlatsi Maqelepo has confirmed that the country wants to join South Africa and other Southern African countries in a joint bid to co-host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations. (Pic: Lesotho Times)