The Nigerien Football Federation confirmed that CAF has accepted the trio’s joint expression of interest, marking the first step in the bidding process.
The proposal was presented following a meeting with CAF President Patrice Motsepe in the United States during the closing stages of the 2026 World Cup.
The three countries, all members of the Alliance of Sahel States, must now submit a detailed hosting bid covering stadiums, training facilities, transport, accommodation and security.
CAF recently opened bidding for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 tournaments, with proposals to undergo technical, financial and legal evaluations.
If successful, the joint bid would see Niger host AFCON for the first time, while Burkina Faso and Mali would return to the competition after 1998 and 2002 respectively.