Motsepe inspects Kenya’s AFCON 2027 preparations as deadline approaches

CAF president Patrice Motsepe has visited Nairobi to assess Kenya’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with stadium infrastructure and other key facilities under scrutiny ahead of the tournament.

Motsepe’s visit comes as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda step up preparations for the first Africa Cup of Nations to be jointly hosted by three East African countries.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from 19 June to 17 July 2027, with the three host nations working to ensure their stadiums, training grounds, accommodation, transport and other infrastructure meet CAF requirements.

During his visit to Kenya, Motsepe is expected to meet government officials and Football Kenya Federation representatives while inspecting facilities earmarked for the continental competition.

One of the key venues is the 60,000-capacity Raila Odinga International Stadium, formerly known as Talanta Stadium, in Nairobi. The newly constructed facility is one of the major infrastructure projects being delivered for the tournament.

Kenyan authorities said in August that construction of the stadium was about 92% complete, with the playing surface already planted with grass.

CAF has made infrastructure readiness a major focus of its preparations. A technical delegation carried out an eight-day inspection of facilities across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania earlier this month, assessing stadiums, training sites, hotels, airports and other tournament infrastructure.

In Nairobi, the CAF delegation inspected the Talanta Stadium as well as other facilities connected to Kenya’s hosting plans.

Kenya’s other proposed venues include Kasarani Stadium and Nyayo Stadium, which have also been subject to CAF inspections as part of the country’s preparations.

Motsepe’s visit follows a similar inspection programme in Tanzania, where he visited the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam and held discussions with the Tanzanian government.

The CAF president has acknowledged that challenges remain across the three host countries but has expressed confidence that the necessary work can be completed.

“We have to ensure everything goes right,” Motsepe said, according to Nation, while stressing that CAF would continue working with the host nations to address areas requiring improvement. He also said he planned to return to the region in January to assess progress.

The pressure on Kenya has increased as CAF’s operational deadlines draw closer. In May, CAF, the governments and football associations of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda established the PAMOJA Oversight Committee to coordinate preparations across the three countries.

The committee was tasked with overseeing areas including stadium and infrastructure development, host-venue confirmation, transport, security, medical preparedness and other tournament operations. CAF identified the end of August 2026 as a key milestone for several aspects of the preparations.

Kenya has also been working on broadcasting infrastructure, with a joint stakeholder committee inspecting facilities at Talanta Stadium earlier this year to assess the venue’s readiness to provide international television coverage during AFCON 2027.

The tournament will mark the return of the Africa Cup of Nations to East Africa for the first time in more than five decades.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania previously gained experience of joint hosting when they staged the African Nations Championship, and CAF says that experience provides a foundation for the much larger AFCON assignment.

With less than a year until the tournament begins, Motsepe’s Nairobi visit provides CAF with an opportunity to assess the progress of Kenya’s preparations directly and identify areas where further work is required.

The three host nations are expected to continue working closely with CAF as they prepare to welcome Africa’s leading national teams and supporters to East Africa in June 2027.