key facilities include in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Dire Dawa, Hawassa, and Jimma

A technical evaluation team from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has concluded an intensive on-site review to verify whether Ethiopia’s expression of interest to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations matches the reality on the ground. The inspection focused heavily on evaluating infrastructural readiness across six proposed stadiums, alongside the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, which has been designated as the tournament’s main headquarters.

Arriving in Addis Ababa on Thursday, October 15, 2026, the delegation began their mission with high-level discussions at the Ministry of Culture and Sport. According to Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) General Secretary Bahru Tilahun, comprehensive briefings and presentations on the country’s bid were delivered by Minister of Sport Aklilu Tadesse, state ministers, and EFF representatives.

The visiting delegation—lodged at the Sheraton Addis—spent five days inspecting various sites to cross-examine data submitted in Ethiopia’s official bid file against actual conditions to accurately gauge national preparedness.

The evaluation team comprises experts from the independent auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) alongside infrastructure specialists from Kenya. Their inspection window covered six stadiums across five cities outlined in the bid.

As detailed by Bahru, the selected venues include the nearing-completion Adey Abeba International Stadium, Akaki Kality Stadium, Bahir Dar International Stadium, Dire Dawa Stadium, Hawassa Stadium, and Jimma University Stadium.

Ethiopia officially submitted its expression of interest to CAF several months ago, building on the regional momentum of East African neighbors Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, who are set to co-host the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Regarding the overall viability of the bid, industry experts consulted by The Reporter expressed strong confidence in the venues currently nearing completion, specifically highlighting the Adey Abeba and Bahir Dar stadiums, as well as ongoing upgrade works at the Dire Dawa and Akaki Kality grounds.