Madar (Niamey) - Niger hosted an inspection mission from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Sunday and Monday, November 8-9, 2026, to assess the joint bid by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to host the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations, the Nigerien state daily Le Sahel reported on Tuesday, November 10.
According to the newspaper, during its stay in Niamey the mission is to gauge the strength of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) bid through on-site verification visits of the proposed facilities and the quality of the hosting arrangements.
The visit opened on Sunday, November 8, with a protocol ceremony attended by several figures from Nigerien football. Hama Hamadou, a member of the Executive Committee of the Niger Football Federation (FENIFOOT), stressed the socio-economic stakes of the tournament for the AES area.
CAF expert Basageta Avellin said he wished to see the situation on the ground and the proposed infrastructure in order to assess, on the Nigerien side, the conditions for delivering the joint bid.
Opening the proceedings, the secretary-general of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Abdoul-Rachid Abdoul-Baki, reaffirmed the Nigerien authorities' commitment to contributing to the smooth organisation of the tournament, describing the AES project as an opportunity to showcase the region's ability to stage a competition to international standards.
The first day was devoted to visits and presentations of Niger's project, covering the renovation of the General Seyni Kountche Stadium, the planned construction of the Stade de la Refondation and training pitches, and the proposed security arrangements. According to Le Sahel, the delegation focused on capacity, the quality of infrastructure and accommodation conditions.
