AFCON2027 bidding team dissolves
The Botswana Bid Committee, led by Ashford Mamelodi, will be dissolved on September 30, 2023, following the country's loss of the bid to host the 2027 AFCON tournament. The committee had been tasked with spearheading Botswana's efforts to host the tournament, but the rights have now been awarded to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The result of the secret ballot vote in Cairo was a bitter disappointment for Botswana, which had put so much time, effort and resources into trying to secure the hosting rights for the 2027 AFCON tournament. The loss is a blow to the country's ambitions to host the prestigious event, and the Bid Committee, which has been instrumental in the country's efforts, will now be dissolved.
Despite the disappointing outcome of the 2027 AFCON bidding process, the Botswana Bid Committee remains committed to working with Namibia to host the final BONA closing meeting. Namibia has previously cited a lack of resources as a reason for not hosting the meeting, but Botswana is determined to find a way to make it happen. In addition, the committee will also need to address the closing of the Botswana solo bid, which was also unsuccessful.
In a recent meeting, Ashford Mamelodi, chairman of the Botswana Bid Committee (BIDCO), acknowledged that the committee's mandate would come to an end on September 30. He noted that the committee's primary role was to pursue the bid for the 2027 AFCON tournament, and with the bid unsuccessful or successful, they will now focus on closing out any remaining tasks. This includes working with Namibia to host the BONA closing meeting and
closing out the solo bid process for Botswana.
'To all those who have supported us on this journey from the beginning, I want to say thank you. Our sponsors, the government of Botswana, and everyone else who helped us along the way, we appreciate your support,” Mamelodi said.
Meanwhile, in a new initiative for the 2027 AFCON bidding process, the CAF Executive Committee gave each bidding country 10 minutes to present their case for hosting the tournament. This allowed each country to highlight the unique strengths of their bid, and gave the voting members a comprehensive overview of the advantages and opportunities of each option.
This was a first for the AFCON bidding process. Later on the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, confirmed the hosts for the 2025 and 2027 editions of the AFCON tournament. Morocco was chosen to host the 2025 AFCON, while the 2027 edition will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, marking the first time three countries have been awarded the rights to host the tournament.