FUFA President Moses Magogo has rallied East Africa to fully embrace the opportunity of hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting the region has the ability to stage a successful tournament and leave a lasting legacy.
Speaking at the opening of the PAMOJA workshop at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday, Magogo welcomed delegates from across the host nations and reaffirmed Uganda’s readiness to play its part in the historic event.
“First of all, welcome everybody to Uganda. Uganda is home. It is your home. Even outside this workshop, you are always welcome back,” Magogo said.
The PAMOJA workshop has brought together key stakeholders from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania as preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 gather pace.
Magogo thanked the Government of Uganda and partner states across East Africa for backing the region’s historic bid, which saw East Africa awarded the rights to host AFCON for the first time.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Uganda, Honourable Minister, on behalf of the football fraternity of Uganda and East Africa, for having accepted our proposal that we bid to host AFCON for the first time in the East African region,” he said.
“We brought our bid to the Confederation of African Football, and they awarded us the rights to host AFCON in 2027, and that is why we are here today.”
He noted that major football tournaments had often been hosted in North, West and Southern Africa, making the 2027 edition a landmark moment for the East African region.
“These things used to be seen elsewhere. For some of us who were moving across Africa for football, we would see them in the north of Africa, in the west of Africa, in the south of Africa, but not in East Africa,” he said.
Magogo expressed confidence in the region’s ability to host the continent’s biggest football showpiece, saying the only missing ingredients have been opportunity and experience.
“What has never given me doubt is that as East Africa, we have the ability to host these events. What we are lacking is the opportunity and the experience.”
He stressed that the workshop presents an important chance to learn from CAF, which has vast experience in organising AFCON tournaments, and said the lessons gained would also help improve domestic competitions in the region.
“Out of this experience, we want to learn, we want to take lessons away, so that in the future we help football not only for its continental competitions but also our national competitions,” he explained.
Magogo also described AFCON 2027 as a major tool for regional integration, saying football can help strengthen ties within the East African Community.
“This is an opportunity for East Africa and the East African Community. Our Head of State has been very clear on this, that we need to integrate East Africa. What an opportunity that our beloved game, the most beautiful game, is being used to bring East Africa together,” he said.
He added that the tournament could have a huge impact beyond football, especially in tourism and business, citing the rise in visitor numbers during the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“I also want to report that football does not come with just what we see on the pitch, but also what happens at the airport, where we had the biggest number of visitors in our history during the period of CHAN,” he revealed.
Magogo admitted there would be challenges along the way but said East Africa must learn from previous experiences to improve.
“At the end of the day, the objective is to make East Africa the best host Africa has ever had, and definitely where we did not do well with CHAN, we want to learn from that,” he affirmed.
He also thanked CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe for promoting inclusive hosting opportunities across the continent and praised the CAF General Secretary for bringing valuable experience at a crucial time.
Magogo further commended the Local Organising Committee Uganda for the work already done, while warning that AFCON will be far bigger than CHAN.
“We delivered CHAN, but AFCON could be twenty times bigger than CHAN,” he noted.
The PAMOJA workshop continues on Thursday in Kampala as officials from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania align preparations for the 2027 tournament, with East Africa aiming to deliver what Magogo believes could be the best AFCON in history.
