AFCON 2027 Preparations Face Delays in East Africa

Preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations are reportedly behind schedule in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, raising questions about whether the three East African countries will be ready to host the tournament in June 2027.

The host nations are working to complete stadiums, training grounds and other infrastructure before the competition begins. The tournament will be the first Africa Cup of Nations held in East Africa since 1976.

CAF assesses progress

A delegation from the Confederation of African Football visited Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in September to inspect progress on newly built facilities, including stadiums and training grounds.

Construction is reportedly running late across all three countries, while doubts remain over their ability to stage the tournament as planned. At the time of the report, less than nine months remained before the scheduled start.

Kenya’s flagship project is the Talanta Sports International Stadium in Nairobi. The venue has a reported capacity of 60,000 seats and is said to be nearing completion.

Contingency reports

CAF President Patrice Motsepe described the preparations as an emergency, according to the source report. He also denied the possibility that the tournament would be relocated.

However, Le Monde reportedly said that CAF had approached Morocco, South Africa and Algeria as possible alternative hosts if a replacement were needed at short notice. The report did not establish whether any of those countries had accepted or had been formally offered hosting responsibilities.

For now, the scheduled plan remains for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations to begin in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in June 2027.