East African Hosts Race to Complete AFCON 2027 Preparations

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are under pressure to complete preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with construction delays casting uncertainty over their readiness to host the tournament.

AFCON 2027 is scheduled to take place in June next year and will mark the competition’s first return to East Africa since 1976. With less than nine months remaining at the time of the report, the three host countries are racing to finish key projects.

CAF assesses infrastructure progress

A delegation from the Confederation of African Football visited Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in September to review progress on newly built infrastructure. The assessment included stadiums and training grounds being prepared for the tournament.

Kenya’s main project is the Talanta Sports International Stadium in Nairobi. The venue has a planned capacity of 60,000 seats and is reportedly nearing completion.

However, construction is reported to be running late across all three host countries. Those delays have prompted doubts about whether Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be able to stage the tournament as planned.

CAF rejects relocation possibility

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said preparations “were an emergency,” highlighting the urgency facing the host nations. CAF has also denied the possibility of relocating the tournament.

Separately, Le Monde reportedly said that CAF had approached Morocco, South Africa and Algeria as potential alternative hosts if a change became necessary. That report has not been independently confirmed in the supplied information.

The three East African countries remain the designated hosts for June 2027 as work continues on the infrastructure required for the continental competition.