Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have secured the hosting rights for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) through their collaborative bid known as “East Africa Pamoja.”
The decision was announced following a vote by the CAF Executive Committee during a meeting in Cairo, as confirmed by CAF president Patrice Motsepe. Representatives from each of the three nations were present in Cairo to celebrate the successful bid.
Kenya was represented by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, PS Eng. Peter Tum, National Assembly Sports Committee chair Dan Wanyama, and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Nick Mwendwa.
High-ranking officials from Uganda and Tanzania, along with their respective Football Association leaders (Moses Magogo for Uganda and Wallace Karia for Tanzania), also attended. Kenya faced strong competition from several other African nations, including Senegal, Nigeria, Benin (joint bid), and Botswana.
Algeria, initially interested in bidding, withdrew just one day before the Executive Committee’s decision. CAF president Patrice Motsepe praised the winning bid, acknowledging the excellent presentations from all countries involved.
He emphasized the importance of government support, particularly from the heads of state of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania (William Ruto, Yoweri Museveni, and Samia Suluhu Hassan, respectively), in securing the vote for East Africa.
Motsepe expressed the CAF’s commitment to supporting the host nations throughout the preparation process. The three countries now have a two-year period to prepare all the necessary facilities for the tournament.
Kenya has already designated several venues, including the Moi Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nyayo National Stadium, Kip Keino Stadium in Eldoret, and Jamhuri Grounds. Notably, construction works for the Talanta Stadium (formerly Jamhuri Grounds) have been entrusted to the Kenya Defense Forces, ensuring readiness for the prestigious event.
