As the countdown to the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) continues, stadium safety and infrastructure issues in Kenya have drawn scrutiny, raising concerns about the country’s readiness to co-host the tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
The three East African neighbours are set to make history as joint hosts of the biennial competition for locally based players.
However, preparations have not progressed evenly, prompting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to issue a cautionary message regarding Kenya’s readiness.
“Uganda we can play yesterday, Tanzania we can play tomorrow, Kenya we can play tomorrow,” CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba told BBC Sport Africa during a visit to Nairobi.
“In Kenya I have seen training pitches ready, changing rooms ready, stadium seats put in place. They have to keep the momentum. If they stop momentum, we don’t want CHAN to be here.”
Originally scheduled earlier, CHAN 2024 was postponed to August to allow more time for infrastructure and facility upgrades.
While Kenya has committed two venues—the 60,000-capacity Kasarani Stadium and the 22,000-seater Nyayo National Stadium—CAF officials say work remains to be done, particularly at the latter.
Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, Kenya’s Local Organising Committee CEO Mike Rabar admitted, “The biggest infrastructural set-backs so far are things like the perimeter wall in Nyayo, which should be ready by end of this month.”
He added that crowd control remains a key priority, especially after fans breached a gate during Kenya’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Gabon in March.
That match marked Kenya’s first home fixture in nearly two years, but the lack of adequate security infrastructure allowed fans to force entry despite the implementation of e-ticketing.
“Of course, there was infringement from weak infrastructure around the stadium,” Rabar noted. “Those are the spaces we want to focus on.”
CAF’s Mosengo-Omba acknowledged that security lapses can happen after long absences from hosting international matches but emphasised they are “not acceptable.”
He revealed that CAF has launched training courses for police and football federation officials to ensure crowd safety in and around stadiums.
“We train the police how to maintain safety security in stadium and we also train members of federation in order to improve the security,” he told BBC Sport Africa. “We will continue until the end of CHAN and AFCON.”
Preparations are also being closely watched ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which the three countries will co-host as well. According to organisers, efforts are ongoing to address minor issues such as connectivity, power supply, and communication infrastructure.
“We are trying to see how do we meet these standards and make sure that by the time we get to the first week of July we can host a game comfortably,” said Rabar.
Meanwhile, sports ministers from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania have reaffirmed their commitment to delivering a successful CHAN 2024.
A collective budget of $39 million has been set aside for the tournament, with discussions underway for a ‘Pamoja visa’ to ease movement between the host countries. The trio is also working on tax exemptions for equipment required for the event.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who previously toured the region in December 2024, is expected to visit again soon to assess final progress—a trip widely viewed as a decisive milestone for the hosts.
