Solution found for ease of movement between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania during 2027 AFCON

Host nations of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will, over the next few months, move to finalise and operationalise a proposed PAMOJA Visa Framework, which is set to ensure smooth cross-border movement of fans, teams, officials, media and investors during the tournament set for Sunday, 19 June to Sunday, 18 July next year.

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The development comes in the aftermath of an AFCON 2027 Ministerial Kick-Off meeting on Thursday, 23 April in Kampala, Uganda, which brought together key CAF (Confederation of African Football) officials, the sports ministers of the three host nations (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania), the presidents of the respective football member associations, and chairpersons of the Local Organising Committees (LOC).

Among the key pointers of the sitting was the need to ensure seamless travel across the three host nations by providing special entry arrangements to all involved.

With regards to that, the three sports ministers are said to have agreed to hold periodic consultative meetings to finalise and operationalise the PAMOJA Visa Framework, one that is expected to clear any travel hurdles.

“The framework is intended to facilitate seamless travel across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania,” a CAF media communique read.

“It shall further consider special entry arrangements, visa exemptions, expedited clearances, and harmonised customs and immigration facilitation for participating teams, officials, accredited media, sponsors, suppliers, and tournament-related goods and equipment.”

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania last year enacted waivers to their visa fees during the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN), a move that ensured free visa entry for fans and officials in the three nations, and garnered praise post-tournament.

Kenya waives visa fees for CHAN and AFCON fans to boost regional access

CAF, through acting General Secretary Samson Adamu, used the workshop meeting to heighten the expectations and requirements of the East African region regarding preparing for AFCON, a tournament he said would require coordination in planning, timely execution, and a unified approach.

On the latter, it was agreed upon that a PAMOJA Local Organising Committee, meant to harmonise all regional efforts, would comprise CAF representatives, the three host ministers, presidents of FAs, and LOC chairpersons as part of its governance structure.

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Emphasis was also placed on infrastructure preparedness, with all ministers reaffirming their Governments’ commitment to meet the accepted CAF standards and requirements.

As per CAF’s latest inspection report last month, no stadium across the three countries had fully met CAF Category 4 requirements, exposing significant gaps ahead of the 2027 AFCON.

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On hospitality and visitor experience, the three countries committed to jointly position East Africa as a welcoming and competitive destination capable of delivering an exceptional fan experience.