The preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are in motion as two main stadia in Kenya are set to be completed by December 2025, affirmed by Ababu Namwamba, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy & Sports.
The commitment was declared during a joint stakeholder meeting in Diani for the East Africa Pamoja AFCON’27, gathering representatives from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Kenya’s focal stadia for the tournament will be the 60,000-seater Moi International Sports Center Kasarani, undergoing renovations to meet the Confederation of African Football (CAF) requirements, and the upcoming Talanta Sports City Jamhuri Stadium, which will be built from scratch.
Namwamba expressed confidence in their completion within the two-year timeline to align with the CAF inspection. “The start of these projects faced unforeseen delays due to procedural matters within the military, but all is well now,” stated Namwamba.
He further outlined plans for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Talanta Sports City Stadium scheduled for the following month, estimating a two-year construction timeline. Additional stadia, including Nyayo National Stadium, Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega, Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu, Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu, and Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, will undergo renovations.
The newly constructed Ulinzi Sports Complex and National Police Sacco Stadium will serve as alternative venues during the closure of Kasarani and Nyayo. This joint meeting marked the first discussion among the three hosting countries to outline a roadmap for the prestigious football event.
Nick Mwendwa, the President of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), emphasized the need for substantial progress in various aspects such as infrastructure, accommodation, transport, medical facilities, security measures, financial assurance, visa procedures, foreign exchange, safety, and information technology.
“We are confident that by 2025, all necessary requirements will be in place across the three countries, enabling us to conduct CHAN as test matches before the main tournament,” remarked Mwendwa.
The meeting, attended by representatives from Zanzibar, Uganda, and Tanzania, focused on the readiness of stadium infrastructures. Tanzanian officials confirmed an 80% completion rate in terms of stadium infrastructure, with anticipated readiness by January 2024.
The list of necessary requirements to successfully host AFCON includes infrastructure, adequate accommodation, transportation networks, medical and security facilities, financial capabilities, entry visa and exit permits, foreign exchange management, safety and security provisions, commercial rights protection, IT and telecommunication support, as well as tax and other exemptions.
These aspects collectively contribute to ensuring a successful and seamless execution of the tournament across the host countries.
