Gayton McKenzie provides 2028 AFCON bid update

McKenzie has already openly expressed interest in bidding to host the 2028 AFCON after the Confederation of African Football confirmed in December that they will be shifting the biennial event to a quadrennial showpiece from 2028.

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, the minister believes its high time the country actually applies to host the continental football championship, having previously stepped in at the 11th hour to host the tournament in 2013.

"The Africa Cup of Nations should come here. If we don't host it in 2028 then we'll go two decades without having the African Cup of Nations this side. You must know, we've never applied for the Africa Cup of Nations, the last time it was Libya, we were standing in. So, the time has come for us to apply and to get it. It's definitely coming, I mean Bafana Bafana is on a roll,” McKenzie said.

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With the 1 February bidding deadline fast approaching, McKenzie further confirmed a joint bid alongside Namibia, Botswana, and potentially even Lesotho and Mozambique, will be formalised on Thursday, 29 January.

"Yeah, the deadline is Sunday, tomorrow we will be putting our official intention to host it and we wanna host it with Namibia, we wanna host it with Botswana, Lesotho has now sent me a letter they also wanna be part of it, Mozambique. So, the more the merrier, we can share the games but for me Southern Africa, kenako, it's out time,” the minister added.

SA is certainly in its major events hosting era, with several global spectacles, such as the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup and 2023 Netball World Cup, having already been staged in the country.

With LIV Golf next to make its African debut in March, before the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and potentially the 2028 AFCON and 2036 or 2040 Olympic Games, McKenzie highlighted the importance of opening our borders to the world.