The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has strongly dismissed media reports suggesting that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) would be moved away from East Africa.
Speaking at a press conference following a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, Motsepe addressed an article published by The Guardian in London, which alleged that the tournament was at risk due to infrastructure concerns in the host nations.
Motsepe described the allegations as “totally unfounded,” clarifying that his presence in the region was not to deliver bad news but to reaffirm CAF’s commitment to the “Pamoja” bid.
The 2027 edition of the continent’s flagship football tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, marking the first time the event will be held in the CECAFA region in several decades.
The CAF President expressed frustration with the report, noting that the media occasionally misinterprets his statements or reports the “totally opposite” of his actual position.
“I am enormously confident that we will succeed,” Motsepe told reporters, emphasizing that the three nations are making significant strides in their preparations.
He reiterated that CAF is working closely with the respective governments to ensure that stadiums, transport links, and training facilities meet international standards well ahead of the kickoff.
Addressing the broader strategy of African football, Motsepe argued that the tournament must be used as a catalyst for development across the entire continent.
He noted that if CAF only hosted competitions in countries that already possessed world-class infrastructure, the growth of the game would be stunted in other regions.
He compared the current skepticism to the doubts once faced by other major global hosts, insisting that the passion for football in East Africa would drive the success of the event.
The dismissal of the report comes as a major relief to football fans in the three host countries, where excitement has been building since the hosting rights were awarded.
Motsepe pointed to the successful hosting of other continental fixtures and the African Nations Championship (CHAN) as evidence of the region’s growing capability.
By reaffirming his stance in Tanzania, the CAF President aimed to silence speculation and refocus international attention on the progress being made on the ground in Nairobi, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam.
