Ethiopia have reaffirmed their desire to host the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2029, using the Confederation of African Football’s Congress in Addis Ababa on Tuesday to press their candidacy.
Ethiopia currently do not have a stadium suitable for use in international competition and have seen their national team hosting both World Cup and Cup of Nations qualifiers at venues in the Ivory Coast, Morocco and Tanzania, but have committed to constructing a minimum of six stadiums around the country for a future Cup of Nations hosting.
Ethiopia‘s government courted Caf leaders with a gala dinner on the eve of the Congress, where the head of state President Taye Atske Selassie addressed the member associations and reiterated interest in the tournament that was first expressed in June.
Ethiopia are a founder member of Caf, along with Egypt, South Africa and Sudan, but last hosted the tournament in 1976.
They had also previously hosted the Cup of Nations finals in 1962 and 1968.
“We want to bring the tournament back to its roots as one of the founder members,” said Ethiopia Football Federation president Isayas Jira Bosho.
Ethiopia were Cup of Nations winners on home soil in 1962 but when they last hosted in 1976 did not get past the group phase.
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In total, Ethiopia have been to 11 Cup of Nations finals, the last in Cameroon in 2021.
Ethiopia are the sixth country to express an interest in hosting the 2029 event, after Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Senegal and Zambia, who are considering a co-bid with Botswana.
The next Cup of Nations finals will be in Morocco from 22 December, 2025 to 18 January, 2026.
The 2027 Cup of Nations finals were awarded to the joint bid of three East African countries – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.