A Confederation of African Football (CAF) assessment team has visited Niamey to examine Niger’s proposed facilities for a joint bid with Mali and Burkina Faso to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The November 8–9 visit covered stadiums, hotels, medical services and the security plan. It was an assessment of Niger’s part of the bid, not an announcement that CAF had approved the countries as hosts.
The visit formed part of the three countries’ effort to bring the continent’s flagship men’s football tournament to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Niger’s public news agency, ANP, reported that the CAF mission was led by expert Basegeta Avellin. During the first day, the Nigerien Football Federation (FENIFOOT) presented the country’s bid dossier and proposed security arrangements. The delegation then visited hotels in Niamey to assess their capacity and facilities.
On November 9, the inspectors visited the General Seyni Kountché Stadium, which is undergoing renovation, along with its supporting facilities, the Niamey Municipal Stadium and the National Technical Centre. The delegation also visited the General Reference Hospital and several hotels: Radisson Blu, Noom, Gawèye, Grand Hôtel and Bravia. The Gawèye is also undergoing renovation, according to ANP.
The range of sites reflects the scale of planning required for a continental tournament. A host must provide more than match grounds: teams and officials need training venues and accommodation, while supporters, media and tournament staff depend on transport, medical care and security arrangements. CAF rules state that stadiums used in its competitions must be inspected and approved by the confederation. The current visit, however, was a review of Niger’s bid proposals and infrastructure; it should not be read as final venue approval or as a hosting award.
After the visits, FENIFOOT president Issaka Adamou described the mission’s assessment as “satisfactory,” ANP reported. He said the purpose was to compare the commitments in the bid dossier with the facilities already available or planned. Adamou also acknowledged a significant gap: Niger currently has no CAF-approved stadium, which he linked to the condition of the General Seyni Kountché Stadium. He said a full renovation was expected in 2026–27.
The dossier also includes plans for new facilities. Adamou said the proposal envisages a second stadium, named the Stade de la Refondation, with a capacity of 20,000, alongside eight training pitches. Construction of the new stadium is planned for 2028–29, according to the federation president’s comments reported by ANP. The proposed renovation of the 30,000-seat General Seyni Kountché Stadium is budgeted at about $26.09 million; the eight training grounds are estimated at $21.20 million. Those are figures in Niger’s bid dossier, not confirmation that all funding has been secured or construction completed.
The timetable leaves the countries with several years to turn proposed infrastructure into operational venues, but delivery will depend on financing, construction schedules and CAF’s technical requirements. The Nigerien mission did not result in a public declaration from the CAF expert. ANP said the mission concluded with a summary of the work and a meeting with the minister responsible for youth, sports and culture.
The joint bid has passed an early procedural step. In July, FENIFOOT said CAF had informed the three countries that their expression of interest complied with the confederation’s regulations, allowing them to continue through the attribution process. That status means the candidacy could proceed; it is not the same as CAF selecting the AES countries to host the tournament.
The proposed bid would pool facilities and resources across Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. Niger’s inspection is therefore one part of a wider assessment. The three federations still have to demonstrate that the venues, transport links, accommodation, health services and security plans across the proposed host countries meet CAF’s expectations. Reports of CAF visits to the other countries describe this as an ongoing evaluation process.
For Niger, the immediate test is whether it can complete the stadium renovation and advance the proposed new stadium and training facilities on schedule. The inspection gave CAF an opportunity to compare the written commitments with conditions in Niamey. But the available reports provide no final CAF assessment, and the confederation has not announced that the joint bid has won the right to stage AFCON 2032.
