Senegal submits a new request to CAF. Will it work this time?

The Senegalese Football Federation is preparing to submit its candidacy to host the tournament Africa Cup of Nations 2032, after failing to host the continental championship more than once in the last few years.

Senegal dreams of hosting the African football tournament on its soil for the first time since 1992.

During a session before representatives to discuss the draft law on sports, Senegal’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Khedi Dien Gaye, confirmed that Senegal is already working on the preparation of an official nomination file.

The minister said: “Senegal is already preparing its candidacy to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2032.”

The announcement comes months after Senegal withdrew its bid to host the 2029 edition.

After losing a bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations to a joint bid by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Senegalese football association president Augustin Senghor hinted his country could make a fresh bid to host the 2029 tournament.

The possibility of a joint organization with Gambia and Guinea was also discussed at the time, before the project was later abandoned.

The stadium crisis remains the biggest obstacle facing Senegal, and so far Diamendio’s Abdoulaye Wade Stadium is the only one that fully meets Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards.

On the other hand, the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium, the historic base of the Teranga Lions, is still undergoing renovations, while the use of the stadium in Thies, 75 kilometers from the capital, is limited to age-group competitions.

There are still no qualified stadiums in remote areas of the country, making the development of certified facilities in Senegal the biggest challenge facing the file.