…as Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Morocco and Senegal enter the bidding
GAZETTE REPORTER
Roping in a third country to reinforce the Botswana-Namibia (BONA) bid for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (BONA ’27) for a stronger edge over other contenders is being considered, the Minister of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture, Tumiso Rakgare, has disclosed.
Botswana and Namibia have already notified FIFA and Confederations of African Football (CAF) of their intentions to jointly host the continental football spectacular in 2027.
More countries in the bidding
But countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Morocco and Senegal have also shown interest in hosting AFCON ’27, thus posing as a threat to Botswana and Namibia’s joint effort.
Minister Rakgare said he is wary of the threat that other countries pose ahead of the bid but are determined to submit a compelling bid.
“Every country has a right to bid and it is a good thing for us so that we can intensify our bid,” he said. “We are going to do our best to submit a very enticing bid that will grab CAF’s attention.
Roping in a third country
“We are also exploring bringing in a third country so we can solidify our bid and I am happy to say we are in talks with Namibia and there is progress because we are on the same page about this idea.
“We are going to do everything in our power to ensure that this bid comes home and the idea of a third country may work for us because it carries the advantage of offering variety.”
Zambia is likely to be the country to be approached for roping in because they are in the same the region as Botswana and Namibia.
Botswana recently engaged a consultant to audit its facilities before CAF came to conduct a second inspection of the country’s facilities that failed the test late last year.
The National Stadium in Gaborone and Francistown Sports Complex have been undergoing improvements to meet CAF standards.
Economic boost
Rakgare also stated that winning the bid would go a long way in boosting the country’s economy through development of infrastructure and employment creation for the youth.
“In addition to sports and football, there are positives that will come with winning the bid, hence our dedication to winning,” he said. “We would like to see the youth employed and the economy being boosted through tourism, among others.”