Khady Diène Gaye Launches Senegal's 2032 Beach Soccer Bid

Senegal has begun formal preparations to bid for AFCON 2032, and beach soccer is part of the country’s wider push to bring the tournament back after 1992. Sports Minister Khady Diène Gaye said the government and sporting authorities are already working on a full application for CAF.

“Senegal is preparing its candidacy to host the Africa Cup of Nations.” She added that “Work is underway to ensure all required standards are met.” The target year is 2032, while the filing work is happening now.

Khady Diène Gaye and CAF

Gaye made the remarks at the National Assembly yesterday, drawing a clear line between Senegal’s target and the paperwork now being assembled. The bid places the country among the potential candidates for AFCON 2032, where CAF will evaluate the application against other contenders.

That process arrives as CAF shifts the tournament to a four-year cycle beginning with the 2028 edition. The 2027 tournament will be organized jointly by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, which means Senegal is entering the race well before the new cycle settles into place.

Senegal's 1992 Return Bid

Senegal last staged AFCON in 1992, so the 2032 bid would mark a possible return to the tournament after four decades. The early announcement is meant to give the country time to prepare infrastructure, logistics, and facilities that meet CAF’s criteria.

Those preparations now extend beyond the bid itself, because the government has started the work needed for a complete application. If Senegal succeeds, the tournament would return to Dakar and other Senegalese cities under a format shaped by CAF’s new schedule and a field of competing bids.