A bid destined to succeed
Botswana and Namibia have raised a firm hand to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals. Barring late entries from southern Africa, the two countries should land the organising rights, argues Staff Writer
Forget about Nijel Amos threatening to run as an independent or the Zebras’ last minute disappointment of failing to board a plane to Dar es Salaam, there is some potentially good news bubbling under.
Botswana wants to host the 2027 AFCON finals and Namibia has agreed to be a minority shareholder in a 60-40 co-hosting arrangement.
The finer details of the partnership will be revealed in Gaborone soon, so confirms both Botswana and Namibia authorities.
“A presser (press conference) is expected to be held in Gaborone soon. The details of the bid will be explained then,” Namibia’s Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service permanent secretary, Dr Audrin Mathe said yesterday, as both parties tread cautiously.
It is still unclear at this stage who will host the opening or the closing ceremony or the opening match and the final.
But with Botswana confirmed as the ‘Big Brother’ in the hosting arrangement, it will not be a surprise for the opening and closing moments to be in Gaborone, or even Francistown, where the imposing Obed Itani Chilume Stadium has become the new home of national teams.
Botswana and Namibia are not typical football powerhouses, as the current FIFA rankings rate the Zebras among the 12 lowest-ranked nations in Africa. The Zebras were spared the agony of having to go through the preliminary round against the world’s worst football nation Eritrea when their opponents withdrew from the AFCON competition.
Namibia, although not a football powerhouse, are better off, at number 110 in the world compared to Botswana’s 148.
But the rankings do not determine who gets the rights to host the 2027 AFCON finals. Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, co-hosts of the 2012 showpiece are living proof. The Zebras made their first and thus far, the only appearance at an AFCON final co-hosted by the two nations.
With results on the pitch hard to come by, the only route back to the finals appears to be in hosting. In 2027, that wish could be granted, as it should be by Africa’s football authorities.
Going in Zebras and Namibia’s favour is that the AFCON finals rarely grace the fields of southern Africa. Only South Africa and Angola have hosted the competition since 1957.
The AFCON is 65 years old but has only been to southern Africa three times out of 33 editions. North and West Africa have had the largest share of hosting, and they continue to dominate.
Gabon and Equatorial Guinea were even afforded an encore, just two years after hosting the competition, evidence of the hosting imbalances.
Botswana and Namibia have entered the fray and again, they face the usual competition from the perceived powerful nations from West and North Africa.
For the first time, three nations are planning to jointly host the competition, with Gambia, Mauritania and Senegal preparing a bid. There is also Algeria, Burkina Faso and Morocco to challenge the Namibia-Botswana bid.
However, geographical consideration should favour the southern African nations if CAF cares about spreading the game across the continent. Botswana and Namibia have stable economies and putting up the requisite structures should not pose a headache.
The influence of the Francophone countries has waned in recent years after the ouster of longserving Issah Hayatou who is from Cameroon. A southern African, Patrice Motsepe is at the helm, and while nepotism should not decide the vote, the new administration could view things from a different lens.
Hosting the AFCON finals would mean a lot for Botswana and Namibia where football is still to reach its full potential. It could leave an enduring legacy both in terms of facilities and football on the pitch.
But banking on only geography would be foolhardy for both Botswana and Namibia. Only a comprehensive bid will win the day, and CAF’s 44th Ordinary General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt will put the matter to finality. The eggs will only hatch then but the counting has already begun.