Football Kenya Federation President Hussein Mohammed says Kenya’s successful hosting of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship has given the country and the wider East African region the belief and practical experience needed ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Hussein said CHAN 2024 acted as a real world test of Kenya’s ability to stage a continental tournament, stressing that the experience exposed both strengths and gaps in the system while proving that delivery is possible when all stakeholders work together.
“CHAN taught us what works and what needs improvement. It exposed us to the demands of hosting a continental event and showed us that Kenya can deliver when all stakeholders pull in the same direction,” Hussein said.
He described the tournament as a benchmark moment for East African football, with Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania co hosting the event as part of the wider Pamoja football partnership that will also stage AFCON 2027. For Hussein, that shared experience has already created a stronger base for preparation.
Hussein emphasised that CHAN should not be seen as the final achievement but as a reference point for what is required at the next level. He said the tournament provided a clear understanding of match operations, crowd control, logistics, security coordination and media handling under continental pressure.
He also drew a clear line between CHAN and AFCON, noting that the Africa Cup of Nations will be significantly bigger in scale, with more teams, higher global attention and greater operational demands. He warned that success in 2027 will depend on discipline, planning and coordination across institutions.
According to Hussein, one of the biggest gains from CHAN was confidence. He said Kenya is no longer approaching major tournament hosting with uncertainty but with evidence that it can be done, especially when systems are properly aligned.
He pointed to the importance of continued cooperation between football authorities, government agencies, security teams and private sector partners, saying CHAN proved that alignment is the difference between success and failure at this level.
The FKF President’s remarks come as East Africa continues joint preparations for AFCON 2027 under the Confederation of African Football Confederation of African Football, which will be the first time the tournament is co hosted by three nations.
Hussein said lessons from CHAN must now be turned into action, particularly in areas that were identified as needing improvement during the competition, including match day operations, spectator management and coordination between organising units.
For him, the most important takeaway is not just that Kenya hosted successfully, but that it now has a working blueprint for what comes next. He believes that if the same level of cooperation is maintained, AFCON 2027 can become a defining moment for East African football.
As preparations continue, Hussein maintains that CHAN has shifted the region’s mindset from aspiration to capability, but he insists the real test still lies ahead when AFCON brings a larger stage, bigger crowds and higher expectations.
