AFCON 2027: FUFA boss reveals what Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania need to co-host the tournament

FOOTBALL AFCON 2027: FUFA boss reveals what Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania need to co-host the tournament

Joel Omotto • 14:30 - 15.04.2023

The three countries are planning a bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will need a total of six stadiums and as many pitches to successfully host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

This has been revealed by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) boss Moses Magogo ahead of the three countries’ joint bid for the continental tournament that will take place in four years’ time.

Cabinet approved Kenya’s proposal to host the tournament alongside her East Africa neigbhours last December, while the Ugandan Parliament gave its nod on Thursday after the country’s government had already showed its commitment.

“Hosting AFCON is awarded on plans not on what you have. As a country, we will only work on sports infrastructure with a time frame in mind if we bid to co-host,” Magogo said via a social media post on Saturday.

“Hosting AFCON requires six stadiums and six training pitches. Three countries hosting means each will need two stadiums and two pitches. With Namboole redone we (Uganda) need more one more stadium and two pitches in four years from now. With the goodwill of all of us, it is mission possible.”

“We have the goodwill of the President, the executive and the Uganda Parliament. CAF rules favour those who have never hosted against those who have ever. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have never hosted.”

Stadia is Kenya and Uganda’s biggest headache ahead of the bid given none of them have facilities that conform to CAF and FIFA standards.

Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums were banned by CAF from hosting international matches when they failed inspection tests in 2021 while Uganda’s Namboole was also found to be too dilapidated by the African football governing the same year.

Both Kenya and Uganda are, however, in a race against time with Kasarani and Namboole currently undergoing renovation in readiness for the next inspection while the two countries will have to put in place another standard facility to be able to host the event.

Tanzania, meanwhile, have the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam ready while the government is seeking to upgrade further facilities.

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CAF will announce the hosts for the two before September this year. Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria/Benin and Zambia bid to host the 2025 edition. The 2027 host could come from the four who are currently being inspected.

The three countries are likely to come up against Botswana and Namibia, who are also planning to submit a joint bid for the 2027 tournament.

East Africa seems to be in pole position after CAF president Patrice Motsepe encouraged Uganda and Tanzania to submit a joint bid last July, after expressing his desire to see the CECAFA region host the continental tournament, before Kenya joined the bandwagon.