Botswana are trying to salvage their bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after Namibia withdrew from a joint agreement one day before the deadline for submitting expressions of interest.
In June last year, the neighbouring nations signed an agreement titled BONA2027 based on a 60-40 financing agreement covering both costs and proceeds derived from the tournament.
Chairman of the joint bid Ashford Mamelodi told BBC Sport Africa they are now waiting on the Botswanan government’s position before advising on next steps.
Although Namibia would take the lesser 40% share of costs and benefits, the country cited a lack of finance when terminating the agreement.
In a letter to his Botswanan counterpart, Namibia’s sports minister explained the government will not provide the additional funding needed, including over two hundred million dollars to renovate sports infrastructure. However, it will honour any outstanding payments for work done on the bid to date.
The country is currently re-aligning its priorities following a severe drought to avoid what has been described as a “catastrophic economic situation.”
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South Africa is the only country in the south of Africa to have held a Nations Cup, hosting in 1996, a tournament which they won, and 2013.
With Botswana left in Limbo, Kenya are 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.
The deadline for expressions of interest to reach the Confederation of African Football is on 20 April – the first in a five-stage process to decide who will host.
