If East Africa fails to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) – God forbid – it won’t be for lack of support from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) or its president, Dr. Patrice Motsepe.
Since Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania won the bid to host the continent’s biggest football tournament, Motsepe has been enthusiastic, supportive, and eager to see what the trio can deliver.
The South African has already visited the region and plans to return to monitor progress and assess preparations.
Hosting AFCON in East Africa was always going to be a challenge.
It would have surprised many because none of the three countries has ever staged the tournament.
Ethiopia is the only East African country with AFCON experience, hosting it in 1962, 1968, and 1976.
Kenya has had hosting opportunities before – AFCON 1996 and the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2018 – but was stripped of both due to lack of readiness.
Rwanda, however, successfully hosted CHAN in 2016, showing the region’s potential.
The Pamoja bid for AFCON presented a chance for the three countries to host CHAN first as a test of their readiness.
The 2024 CHAN tournament was eventually staged across the three nations – but only after repeated postponements because, frankly, they were not ready.
The tournament took place in August 2025, not because preparations were complete, but to give them a taste of what AFCON would demand.
CAF president Motsepe ensured the tournament happened.
And credit where it’s due – the three countries tried, and that effort was visible.
Was the tournament successful? Yes and no. On the pitch, the games were played and concluded, which is a success.
But in terms of logistics, hosting CHAN doesn’t necessarily mean a country is ready for AFCON.
Recent CAF reports indicate that Uganda and Kenya, in particular, are still lagging behind in preparations.
State Minister for Sports in Uganda, Peter Ogwang, may view the findings as manageable, but multiple issues have been highlighted.
CAF standards are clear: what was “playable” for CHAN won’t suffice for AFCON.
Some progress has been made.
Hoima City Stadium was delivered ahead of schedule, and construction continues at Akii Bua.
Mandela National Stadium in Namboole still requires upgrades.
Training grounds, hotels, hospitals, airports, and other logistical facilities need attention.
Tremendous work has been done so far, but effort alone won’t win CAF’s approval.
Motsepe, however, has not lost faith.
He remains vocal in his support, insisting that AFCON 2027 will happen in East Africa.
“We have to develop football in East Africa.”
“The Heads of State – President Ruto of Kenya, President Museveni of Uganda, and President Samia Suluhu of Tanzania – are fully committed,” he said at a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Cairo.
Of the three hosts, Tanzania appears the most on track.
Kenya, though, continues to struggle.
Thirty years have passed since it lost the rights to host AFCON 1996, and eight years since it was stripped of CHAN 2018.
Infrastructure challenges persist, and the $30 million hosting fee to CAF remains unpaid, even though Kenya has historically come close to hosting more than its neighbors.
The truth is, football has not always been a top priority.
Hosting continental tournaments exposes gaps in planning, investment, and execution.
Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania must now prove that they are ready for AFCON 2027- or risk disappointment.
The hope, and the goal, must be readiness.
East Africa’s dream is ambitious, and the stakes are high.
But with commitment, coordination, and a clear focus on standards, Pamoja 2027 can still become a historic and successful celebration of African football.
