Despite spending around P100 million on the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 bid campaign, Botswana lost it this Wednesday.
Morocco was announced as the host for the AFCON 2025 while Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda jointly beat Botswana, Senegal and Nigeria/Benin to get the rights to host the2027 Edition.
The loss for Botswana seems to have been embraced by many as they believe the country is not ready in terms of the facilities and that Batswana are unemployed while the government is gambling with millions.
Some believe the government is just politicizing football and want to use sport as a political campaign for the 2024 elections.
Initially, Botswana was to co-host with Namibia which pulled out in the last minute of the submission deadline indicating that they cannot afford P38 million of their share for the bid book only.
Botswana went ahead and paid the consultants P63million for the book.
These are the views of some of Batswana on the bid.
Joel Konopo
Nna ke le nosi I am happy Botswana lost the bid to host AFCON ka 2027.
For that reason I appoint myself the most patriotic.
It was meant to prop up Chilliboy political capital.
People are not evil.
People on social media are expressing dissatisfaction with the government.
failure to deliver basic necessities.
Of course the P10 billion windfall was going to fuel corruption.
The point is we have pressing issues and we all agree we are overwhelmed.
Poor state of roads, health and education.
Children are still taught under a tree in winter yet we find it normal to want to spend P10 billion on a football tournament.
The AFCON bid can wait.
We should lose the bid again in 2040.
Ditiro Motlhabane
Ratla ra re huu, ke na le wena mokaulengwe.
It was a totally nonsensical proposition, for all intents and purposes.
Only a small group was going to benefit handsomely from the dizzying corruption around the AFCON 2027 project, a soccer festival that would last only 4 weeks leaving us stuck with multibillion pula white elephants that require huge budgets to maintain.
Rona ko Molepolole re batla metsi, ditsela,ditiro, motlakase etc eseng bo clownara ja bo AFCON.
Witness Taziba
Botswana has lost the 2027 AFCON Bid.
As citizens of this country, we can only thank the bidding team collectively for the tireless efforts in managing to compile the bid and also use the loss as foundation for success tomorrow.
It’s a rare case to bid and win when it’s your first time and I can only pray the bidding team doesn’t despair but go back to the drawing board and plan for the next bid.
Big up to our Government for the enormous support it showed in the bid.
Next bid we are in and in to win.
Seabelo Modibe
South Africa once lost the World Cup Bid and came back stronger to win the 2010 World Cup Bid. Bids of this nature are unpredictable, Botswana must regroup and probably be a more ambitious bid for other massive events!
I liken this situation to my business as a Music Promoter where you can book a big artist and do all the marketing ebe batho ba sa tle! (and people don’t attend the show) 2029 is just 5 years away we have to panel beat our bid work on were we fell short.
Guys are tlogeleng go inyatsa (guys lets not undermine ourselves)
