CAF president Patrice Motsepe set for Tanzania visit as AFCON 2027 preparations intensify

CAF president Patrice Motsepe is expected in Tanzania on Thursday as preparations gather pace for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam set to be among the key facilities assessed during his visit.

Motsepe will be received by Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) president Wallace Karia before holding talks with Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba on the country’s preparations for the tournament.

The visit comes as Tanzania, alongside Kenya and Uganda, works towards hosting the first Africa Cup of Nations to be jointly staged by three countries.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from 19 June to 17 July 2027, with the three East African nations working with CAF to ensure stadiums, training facilities, accommodation, transport and other infrastructure meet the required standards.

Motsepe’s inspection of the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium will provide an opportunity to assess progress on improvements being made to one of Tanzania’s principal football venues.

CAF inspectors have already visited the stadium as part of a wider technical assessment of Tanzania’s readiness. Their September inspection covered the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, training venues, hotels, airport facilities and other infrastructure linked to the tournament.

The stadium has been undergoing improvements to areas including the playing surface, VIP and VVIP sections and media facilities, with the upgrades aimed at meeting CAF’s requirements for the continental competition.

Prime Minister Nchemba has also called for the pace of work on training facilities to be increased, stressing that Tanzania must complete the necessary infrastructure ahead of CAF’s assessments rather than wait until the final stages of preparations.

Motsepe will not travel alone. He will be accompanied by several senior CAF and regional football officials, including CAF second vice-president Kurt Okraku, fifth vice-president Feizal Sidat, CECAFA president Paulos Weldehaimanot and CAF acting secretary general Samson Adamu.

The delegation’s presence underlines the importance CAF is placing on preparations for the tournament, particularly as the three host nations move from planning towards the delivery of the infrastructure and operational systems required for the competition.

In May, CAF and football and government leaders from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda agreed to establish a PAMOJA Oversight Committee to provide strategic direction and coordinate preparations across the three countries.

The agreed roadmap included accelerating stadium and infrastructure development, confirming host venues and operational plans, strengthening cross-border arrangements, and ensuring adequate safety, security and medical systems.

Tanzania is also drawing on its experience of co-hosting the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) with Kenya and Uganda. CAF says that experience provides a foundation as the three countries prepare for the significantly larger AFCON tournament.

For Tanzania, Motsepe’s visit will therefore provide another opportunity for the country’s football and government authorities to demonstrate progress while identifying areas that require further attention before the tournament begins.

The Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, in particular, is expected to remain an important part of Tanzania’s tournament plans as the country works to ensure its venues and wider infrastructure are ready to welcome Africa’s leading national teams in 2027.