Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are accelerating preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with stadiums, training grounds, transport networks and other tournament facilities still being completed and assessed.
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The competition is scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, and will feature 24 national teams playing across the three East African countries. It will be the first Africa Cup of Nations jointly hosted by three countries and the tournament’s return to East Africa since Ethiopia staged the finals in 1976.
CAF inspection reviews host infrastructure
The Confederation of African Football conducted an eight-day inspection across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania earlier in the month. The delegation reviewed stadiums, training facilities, hotels, airports and other infrastructure linked to the tournament.
CAF officials involved in competitions, safety and security, transport, media, television and logistics took part in the assessment. The inspection follows the three countries’ joint hosting of the 2024 African Nations Championship and an observer mission involving their local organising committees at the recent Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Kenya faces concerns over venues and training grounds
In Nairobi, the 60,000-capacity Talanta Sports International Stadium is intended to serve as Kenya’s flagship AFCON venue. CAF President Patrice Motsepe said he was impressed by progress at Talanta, while also visiting Kasarani Stadium, where work remains outstanding.
Nicholus Musonye, chairman of Kenya’s AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee, said work on Kasarani’s pitch was expected to be completed by the end of October, with the stadium planned for handover in December.
“I want to assure Africa, and I want to assure the world, that Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, we are ready to host AFCON,” Musonye said.
Kenya’s preparations also cover Nyayo Stadium, Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, training grounds, hotels, airport infrastructure and other sites supporting the Nairobi operation. Moses Kamalik, an executive member of the Boxing Federation of Kenya, said Nyayo and Kipchoge Keino still required work.
Kelvin Kimaru, a Kenyan football fan, raised a separate concern about the training venues. “We are not yet ready because the training grounds for the coming teams are not yet ready,” he said.
Tanzania reports progress on stadiums and transport
Tanzania’s preparations include stadium upgrades, training grounds, roads and transport arrangements involving regional airlines, Air Tanzania and ferry services between Dar-es-Salaam and Zanzibar. CAF’s inspection included Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam and other facilities in the country.
Neema Msitha, chief executive of Tanzania’s AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee, said the country’s stadiums were more than 80 percent complete on average and were expected to be ready for handover to CAF in January. She put progress on the training facilities at about 75 percent, with five facilities being prepared in each host location.
Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has ordered work on the training grounds to accelerate and meet CAF standards. Works Minister Abdallah Ulega also directed contractors working on tournament-linked roads in Arusha to operate around the clock.
Uganda sets completion targets
Uganda’s Local Organising Committee has identified Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium, Hoima City Stadium and Mandela National Stadium as its main tournament venues.
Following the CAF inspection, the committee said the three stadiums were on course for completion by the end of December, while some training facilities were planned for completion in January 2027. CAF infrastructure monitoring officer Patrick Ogwel said Uganda’s infrastructure development was expected to be ready by December 31.
Ogwel said Hoima City Stadium had been completed and commissioned, while Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium was due to be completed and commissioned by December. Uganda’s organising committee expects 10 of its 12 training facilities to be ready by the end of the year.
State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang has directed the Uganda People’s Defence Forces to accelerate work on several AFCON training facilities.
With less than nine months before the tournament, the three hosts must complete the remaining construction, confirm venue readiness and operationalise arrangements for transport, hospitality, broadcasting, security and match management before CAF can assess the full tournament setup.
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