With just over a year remaining until kickoff, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania are racing against the clock to prepare for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, a tournament that will mark the first time in the competition’s history that three nations have jointly hosted the continent’s premier football event. Branded “Pamoja” — Swahili for “together” — the tournament runs from June 19 to July 17, 2027, and represents East Africa’s first opportunity to stage AFCON since Ethiopia did so in 1976.
Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Tanzania. IMAGE: COURTESY
Stadium construction sits at the heart of preparations. In Kenya, authorities have poured resources into upgrading the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani and Nyayo National Stadium, while also fast-tracking work on the new Talanta Sports City in Nairobi. Uganda has completed its purpose-built Hoima City Stadium and continues to renovate the Mandela National Stadium at Namboole and Akii Bua Stadium in Lira. Tanzania, meanwhile, is upgrading Benjamin Mkapa Stadium and building new venues in Arusha and Zanzibar.
But the effort extends well beyond football grounds. Roads leading to host cities are being upgraded, airports are being modernised, and hospitality sectors across all three countries are training staff and expanding accommodation capacity to handle an expected wave of visitors. Officials have also floated a shared regional travel arrangement that would let fans, teams, and media move across the three countries without needing separate visas for each stop.
Hoima City Stadium, Uganda. IMAGE: COURTESY
The scale of what’s at stake is significant. CAF projects more than 1.5 million fans will travel across the region during the tournament, with a global broadcast audience expected to top 3.2 billion viewers. For Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, success would mean more than a well-run football tournament — it would serve as a lasting showcase of East Africa’s capacity to deliver world-class infrastructure, hospitality, and regional cooperation on the biggest stage the continent has to offer.
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