Doubts grow over 2027 AFCON as CAF faces concerns over East Africa preparations

The organisation of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda is facing renewed scrutiny, with concerns reportedly growing over whether the three co-hosts can complete the required infrastructure and preparations in time for the tournament, French online portal lemonde.fr has revealed.

The 2027 AFCON is scheduled to take place from 19 June to 17 July, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda set to stage the competition jointly for the first time.

Recent reports have raised questions about the pace of stadium construction and other essential infrastructure, potentially forcing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to consider contingency options should the East African hosts fail to meet the required deadlines.

According to a report published on Monday, 28 September, accumulated delays in infrastructure development have prompted CAF to examine countries that could potentially step in at short notice. Morocco, Algeria and South Africa have reportedly been identified as possible alternatives.

The reported contingency discussions contrast with CAF president Patrice Motsepe’s public position that there is no alternative plan for the tournament.

“There is no Plan B, there is no Plan C, there never will be a Plan B, there never will be a Plan C,” Motsepe said during a visit to the region earlier this month.

Motsepe has nevertheless acknowledged that the hosts still have areas that require significant attention and has called for preparations to be accelerated.

Reuters reported that the CAF president expressed confidence in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda while recognising the challenges facing the three countries.

He stressed that CAF would continue working with the hosts to ensure that the necessary facilities and infrastructure are delivered before the tournament.

Infrastructure remains a key concern

The biggest issue surrounding the organisation of the tournament is infrastructure.

CAF’s own preparations roadmap has placed particular emphasis on stadiums, training grounds, transport, airports, accommodation, security and other operational requirements.

At a high-level meeting in April, CAF and representatives of the three host countries agreed to an accelerated delivery roadmap, with August 2026 identified as an important milestone for reviewing progress.

CAF subsequently carried out an eight-day inspection of facilities across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in August and September.

The delegation inspected stadiums, training facilities, hotels, airports and other infrastructure, including Kenya’s newly constructed 60,000-capacity Talanta Stadium, Uganda’s Mandela National Stadium and Tanzania’s Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

The inspections were part of CAF’s continuing assessment of the hosts rather than confirmation that the tournament had been taken away from them.

Uganda’s Local Organising Committee said after the latest inspection that preparations were entering a critical phase and that the country remained committed to delivering its share of the tournament.

Kenyan authorities have also maintained that work is progressing. In July, a joint stakeholder committee inspected Talanta Stadium and reviewed preparations for broadcasting and tournament operations.

CAF maintains public confidence

Despite the concerns being reported, there has been no official announcement from CAF that the 2027 AFCON will be relocated.

In fact, CAF’s public communications continue to present Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as the confirmed hosts.

CAF’s official one-year countdown announcement in June stated that the tournament would return to East Africa for the first time since 1976, with the three countries scheduled to host the competition from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

The three nations also successfully co-hosted the 2024 African Nations Championship, which CAF has pointed to as providing an operational foundation for the AFCON project.

However, AFCON is a substantially larger tournament, involving 24 teams and significantly greater demands on stadiums, accommodation, transportation, security, broadcasting and logistics.

The difference between the public assurances from CAF and reports of contingency planning has therefore added uncertainty to the preparations with less than nine months remaining before the scheduled opening match.

For now, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda remain the official hosts, while CAF continues to monitor their progress.

Any decision to relocate the tournament would represent a major development for African football, but CAF has not announced such a decision, and Motsepe continues to insist that there is no Plan B or Plan C.