Government promises historic 2027 Africa Cup of Nations tournament
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 05.05.26. | 18:41
The meeting comes days after CAF confirmed the official dates for the competition, with the opening match scheduled for Saturday, 19 June, 2027, and the final set for Saturday, 17 July, 2027
Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi has expressed confidence that Kenya is on course to deliver a historic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in 2027 under the Pamoja partnership with Uganda and Tanzania.
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Mwangi spoke during the inaugural meeting of the National Steering Committee for AFCON 2027 held on Tuesday, 5 May.
Senior officials from ministries, departments and state agencies met to assess Kenya’s level of preparedness ahead of the continental showpiece.
Representing Cabinet Secretary for Sports Salim Mvurya, Mwangi said Kenya is steadily positioning itself as a capable and reliable host for a world-class football tournament.
The high-level meeting reviewed timelines for key milestones, compliance with Confederation of African Football (CAF) requirements and strategies aimed at strengthening coordination among various government institutions involved in preparations.
Discussions also centred on improving cross-border mobility, a crucial area given the regional nature of the tournament that will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Mwangi noted that while Kenya has already met several CAF requirements, there remains a need for closer collaboration among stakeholders to ensure all remaining deadlines are achieved efficiently.
“We are steadily building the structures required to deliver a successful AFCON. Coordination among all institutions will be key in ensuring we meet every target within the required timelines,” Mwangi said.
The PS pointed to Kenya’s recent hosting of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) as proof of the country’s growing ability to organise major continental competitions, adding that lessons from CHAN will play a major role in shaping AFCON 2027 planning.
“With AFCON 2027, we aim to redefine the standards of hosting major tournaments on the continent,” he added.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are set to co-host the tournament in what will mark the first time the East African region stages the continental football extravaganza jointly.
The meeting comes days after CAF confirmed the official dates for the competition, with the opening match scheduled for Saturday, 19 June 2027, and the final set for Saturday, 17 July, 2027.
Last week, sports ministers from the three host nations agreed on a coordination framework aimed at guaranteeing efficiency, accountability and smooth decision-making throughout preparations.
The joint communiqué was signed by Salim Mvurya, Peter Ogwang and Paul Makonda.
Part of the agreement includes plans to operationalise the proposed Pamoja Visa Framework, which is expected to ease travel across the three countries during the tournament period.
The ministers also outlined a three-tier operational structure for the tournament, with an oversight committee sitting at the top, followed by a steering committee composed of LOC CEOs, football administrators and CAF functional leads, while the third tier will consist of national LOC tasked with implementing plans within each country.