Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have less than nine months to prepare for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which is set to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027. This tournament will be the first AFCON jointly hosted by three countries and marks the return of the competition to East Africa since Ethiopia hosted the finals in 1976.
A delegation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently spent eight days inspecting facilities across the three host countries, evaluating stadiums, training grounds, hotels, airports, and other necessary infrastructure. The delegation included officials responsible for various aspects of the tournament, including competitions, safety, security, transport, media, and logistics.
In Kenya, the primary project is the newly constructed Talanta Sports International Stadium in Nairobi, which has a capacity of 60,000 and is intended to be the flagship venue for AFCON. CAF President Patrice Motsepe expressed satisfaction with the progress made at Talanta during a recent visit. The inspection also included Kasarani Stadium, where additional work is still required.
Nicholus Musonye, chairman of Kenya’s AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee, stated that the country is addressing outstanding requirements and aims to complete work on Kasarani’s pitch by the end of October, with plans for the venue to be ready for handover in December.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the readiness of training grounds. Kelvin Kimaru, a Kenyan football fan, noted that the training facilities for incoming teams are not yet prepared. Additionally, Moses Kamalik, an executive member of the Boxing Federation of Kenya, highlighted that other venues, including Nyayo Stadium and Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, also require attention.
Tanzania is similarly in the final stages of preparation, with stadiums and training grounds being developed. Neema Msitha, chief executive of Tanzania’s AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee, reported that the country’s stadiums are, on average, over 80 percent complete and expected to be ready for CAF by January. Training facilities are also being developed, with five facilities in each host location approximately 75 percent complete.
The Tanzanian government has been proactive in expediting preparations. Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba recently ordered a speed-up in the construction of training grounds to meet CAF standards after inspecting facilities in Dar-es-Salaam. Road infrastructure is also being prioritized, with Works Minister Abdallah Ulega instructing contractors to work continuously on roads linked to the tournament in Arusha.
CAF’s September inspection included key facilities such as Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam. Uganda is also working towards a similar completion timeline, with Patrick Ogwel, a CAF infrastructure monitoring officer, indicating that infrastructure development is expected to be ready by December 31. Hoima City Stadium has been completed, while Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira is scheduled for completion by December.
Uganda’s Local Organising Committee has identified Akii-Bua, Hoima City Stadium, and Mandela National Stadium as its main venues, with plans for ten of the twelve training facilities to be ready by year-end. However, pressure remains to meet these deadlines, with State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang directing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces to expedite work on several training facilities.
The upcoming months will be critical in determining whether the three host countries can successfully complete their preparations for the tournament. AFCON requires not only stadiums but also training grounds that can accommodate teams and spectators while meeting broadcasting, media, security, transport, hospitality, and match operation requirements.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have previously collaborated on hosting the 2024 African Nations Championship, which provided valuable experience for organizing a major continental tournament. CAF has also involved representatives from the local organizing committees in an observer mission at the recent AFCON in Morocco.
AFCON will be a larger event, featuring 24 national teams competing across the three countries for nearly a month. The success of the tournament will depend on the completion and operational readiness of the facilities before teams and supporters arrive. For fans in East Africa, the tournament represents an opportunity to experience Africa’s largest national-team competition on home soil. Gilbert Okeya, a Kenyan football fan and referee, expressed enthusiasm about hosting live matches for AFCON in the country.