Dar es Salaam. Africa’s football governing body, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), has firmly reiterated that the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 (Afcon) finals will be hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, dismissing speculation that the tournament could be relocated.
Caf President Patrice Motsepe made the clarification shortly after an ordinary executive committee meeting held at the Hyatt Regency. His remarks followed a recent media report that questioned the readiness of the three co-hosting nations.
Motsepe said the host countries have made “massive preparations” and that Caf is satisfied with the progress achieved so far. He acknowledged that hosting a major continental tournament presents challenges, but stressed that these are being addressed collaboratively and within the remaining preparation window.
“We do not have any plan to take away Afcon 2027 from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda,” Motsepe said. “We are confident they will meet the requirements in line with Caf standards.”
The meeting was also attended by key regional football leaders, including Wallace Karia, Hussein Mohammed, and Justus Mugisha, underlining the unified regional approach to delivering the tournament.
Motsepe reiterated Caf’s commitment to ensuring the finals are successfully staged in East Africa, noting that the confederation’s philosophy is solution-oriented rather than punitive. He emphasized that Caf’s role is to support the hosts in closing gaps and maintaining standards, drawing on experience from previous tournaments where challenges were resolved through cooperation.
Beyond infrastructure and logistics, Motsepe described Afcon 2027 as a strategic opportunity to elevate East African football on the continental stage. He said Caf’s long-term vision is to see the region develop into a football powerhouse comparable to West, North and Southern Africa.
“Our main objective is to make the event happen and to help East Africa grow into a strong football region,” he said.
The Caf president also praised the political will demonstrated by regional leaders, singling out Samia Suluhu Hassan, William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni for their commitment to the tournament. He said sustained government backing is a critical pillar for the successful delivery of an event of Afcon’s magnitude.
To maintain close oversight, Motsepe revealed that Caf’s technical and inspection teams will continue regular visits to all three countries to monitor progress on stadiums, training facilities, accommodation, transport and other key operational areas. He added that Caf plans to establish a permanent on-ground presence in the host nations about seven months before kickoff.
“We want the 2027 Afcon finals to be memorable and historic,” Motsepe said, noting that early deployment of Caf teams will help streamline final preparations and ensure uniform standards across all venues.
In a separate announcement, Motsepe confirmed that the Afcon 2027 finals will be staged in either June or July, aligning the tournament with favorable climatic conditions in the region.
