By Staff Reporter
GABORONE, April 21 — Botswana is trying to keep their bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alive after Namibia withdrew from a joint agreement. The neighbouring nations signed an agreement last year, called BONA2027, that covered a 60-40 financing agreement for the tournament’s costs and proceeds. However, Namibia pulled out of the deal just one day before the deadline for submitting expressions of interest.
The chairman of the joint bid, Ashford Mamelodi, told BBC Sport Africa that they are waiting for the Botswanan government’s position before advising on the next steps. Namibia cited a lack of finance as the reason for terminating the agreement, and in a letter to his Botswanan counterpart, Namibia’s sports minister explained that the government will not provide the additional funding needed, including over two hundred million dollars to renovate sports infrastructure. Nevertheless, they will honour any outstanding payments for work done on the bid to date.
Botswana is now left in limbo as Kenya is the only other nation to have publicly expressed a firm intention to bid for 2027, having announced a plan for a joint bid in December last year, without naming any other countries involved. South Africa is the only country in southern Africa to have held a Nations Cup, hosting in 1996 (which they won) and in 2013.
With the deadline for expressions of interest passed, this is the first of a five-stage process to determine who will host the tournament. This leaves Botswana with an uphill task to revive its bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations. However, the country can take some solace from the fact that they are still in the running to host the event.
Hosting the Africa Cup of Nations would have a significant impact on the host country’s economy, as it would attract many visitors from across the continent, generate jobs, and promote tourism. The tournament would also help to raise the profile of Botswana as a tourist destination, which could have a long-term positive impact on the country’s economy.
In conclusion, Botswana’s bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations has been thrown into disarray after Namibia’s withdrawal from a joint agreement. With Kenya being the only other nation to have publicly expressed a firm intention to bid for the tournament, Botswana faces an uphill task to revive its bid. However, with the potential economic benefits that hosting the tournament could bring, Botswana may still have a chance to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027.
Source: BBC News
