With less than nine months until kickoff, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have entered the most demanding phase of their preparations to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, this upcoming tournament marks a historic milestone: it is the first time the prestigious continental competition will be jointly hosted by three nations, and it signifies AFCON’s long-awaited return to East Africa since Ethiopia last staged the finals in 1976.
The three host governments and their respective local organizing committees are now scrambling to complete, test, and hand over stadiums, training grounds, and vital supporting infrastructure. A high-level Confederation of African Football (CAF) delegation recently concluded an intensive eight-day inspection tour across all three countries, evaluating everything from match venues and training pitches to hotels, airports, and security logistics.
In Kenya, the spotlight is firmly on Nairobi and the newly built Talanta Sports International Stadium. The 60,000-capacity venue serves as the nation’s flagship AFCON project and has drawn praise from CAF President Patrice Motsepe during recent inspections. Alongside Talanta, work continues at Kasarani Stadium, where officials project the pitch will be finished by the end of October ahead of a December handover.
However, Kenya’s path is not without hurdles. Local football fans and sports officials have expressed concerns regarding the readiness of supporting infrastructure, particularly training grounds and secondary venues like Nyayo Stadium and the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret. Nicholus Musonye, chairman of Kenya’s AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee, has maintained a confident stance, reassuring the public that all three host nations are fully prepared to deliver a successful tournament.
Across the border, Tanzania is making steady progress, reporting that its primary stadiums are, on average, more than 80 percent complete. Neema Msitha, chief executive of Tanzania’s Local Organising Committee, expects the venues to be ready for official handover to CAF by January. Government pressure has intensified to speed up construction, with Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba inspecting facilities in Dar-es-Salaam and demanding that training grounds meet stringent international standards. In addition to stadiums, transport infrastructure—including upgraded roadways in Arusha, regional airline expansions via Air Tanzania, and ferry services between Dar-es-Salaam and Zanzibar—is being aggressively developed to streamline movement for teams and fans.
Meanwhile, Uganda is working relentlessly toward its own year-end deadlines. Patrick Ogwel, a CAF infrastructure monitoring officer, confirmed that Hoima City Stadium is already completed and commissioned, while the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira remains on track for a December completion date. Uganda’s Local Organising Committee has earmarked Akii-Bua, Hoima, and the Mandela National Stadium as its main competition venues, with ambitions to finish 10 out of 12 designated training facilities by the close of the year. To ensure targets are met, State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang directed the Uganda People’s Defence Forces to fast-track construction at lagging sites, such as Pece Stadium in Gulu.
As the countdown ticks away, the three East African nations face the monumental task of transitioning from raw construction to fully functional tournament operations. Beyond brick-and-mortar stadiums, the nations must seamlessly manage broadcasting, media operations, hospitality, safety, and transport for 24 competing national teams.
Having previously gained valuable collaborative experience co-hosting the 2024 African Nations Championship—alongside observer missions at recent tournaments in Morocco—the co-hosts are well-acquainted with the scale of the challenge.
