Kenya to host 2027 AFCON tournament

By Peter Ochieng

Kenya has won the bid to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), alongside neighbours Uganda and Tanzania.

Winning of the joint bid known as Pamoja was made official on Wednesday in Cairo, Egypt, by the Confederations of Africa Football (CAF).

"We are very strict on the requirements that we are placing on these countries in terms of the movement of people, support and infrastructure the cooperation. We will be sending our teams to form an evaluation of our progress," CAF president Patrice Motsepe said.

Morocco will host the 2025 tournament.

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Sports Ababu Namwaba led the Kenyan delegation to Cairo, to witness the hosting rights awarding ceremony.

“With colleagues Hon Damas Ndumbaro, Sports & Arts Minister of Tanzania and Hon Peter Ogwang, State Minister for Sports of Uganda, alongside our delegation that includes Uganda's Deputy Speaker Hon Thomas Tayebwa, we have presented our #EAPamoja bid to @CAF_Online,” the CS posted online.

The government through the Ministry of Sports has unveiled plans to revamp three stadiums to meet international standards, ahead of the tournament.

They are Kasarani, Nyayo and Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.

The government has also put in measures to build the new Talanta stadium, with the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) in charge of the project.

It will be the first time for AFCON to be hosted in East Africa.

Kenya landed the rights to host the 1996 tournament, but withdrew at the 11th hour.

South Africa hosted and went on to win the title that year. Kenya lost the right to host the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN), due to ill preparedness.