Motsepe confident Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda can deliver Africa Cup of Nations 2027

CAF president Patrice Motsepe says he is confident the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be successfully staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, despite reports questioning whether the three countries will be ready to host the tournament next summer.

“There are always challenges with the Africa Cup of Nations, but we are confident that the next edition in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be a success,” Motsepe said in comments reported by beIN sports.

The tournament is scheduled to take place across the three East African nations from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

Motsepi also outlined CAF’s wider priorities, including strengthening national football associations and improving the way the game is governed across the continent.

“We are working to develop African national associations, continue increasing the financial support they receive, help them develop their own resources, enhance transparency and improve the standard of refereeing,” he said.

He added that greater investment in African football was essential, while continental competitions also needed to be raised to a higher standard to make them more attractive to the global market.

“It is necessary to support African investment in football and raise the level of continental competitions in order to market them globally,” Motsepi said.

A CAF source told FilGoal.com in recent days that there was currently no plan to move or postpone the competition.

“There is no intention to relocate or delay the Africa Cup of Nations. For now, the tournament will be held as scheduled,” the source said.

CAF is monitoring the preparations of the local organising committees in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. A comprehensive assessment of the three countries’ hosting plans will be carried out at the end of this year to determine how ready they are for the tournament.

“Motsepe is determined to hold the tournament on time and in the three countries, so he will provide them with every possible form of support,” the source added.

However, the source said CAF would consider alternative arrangements if the countries’ readiness remained a serious concern at the beginning of the new year.

“If it becomes clear at the start of the new year that the three countries are struggling to be ready, we will certainly turn to other solutions,” the source said.

“There will definitely be alternative plans. The tournament could be moved to one country that is ready to host this event, but we will not rush the decision and will wait until the beginning of the new year to assess the situation.”

Egypt are the record winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, having claimed the title seven times. They finished fourth at the most recent edition, staged in Morocco in 2025.

Egypt are in Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers alongside Angola, South Sudan and Malawi.