David GOMBE
The Confederation of African Soccer (CAF) inspection group confirmed through its report, that not one of many proposed rivals stadiums from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda was in a position to host Africa’s biggest soccer rivals in 2027.
The East African nations are ensuing from host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations nevertheless in accordance with CAF, the overall analysis signifies that the AFCON PAMOJA 2027 infrastructure programme all through the three host nations is presently in a constructing, upgrading and corrective half.
Dr Christian Emeruwa (Head of Safety & Security) and Stephanie Totokra (Head of Infrastructure) who carried out the inspections throughout the three nations in February this 12 months confirmed of their report that additional works should be completed on the web internet hosting venues.
The inspection group is predicted to conduct one different inspection in August and think about the subsequent areas must be cleared and fulfilled;
•Confirmed authorities funding for infrastructure and operations.
•Substantial completion of stadium constructing and refurbishment works, with a minimal of 80% completion the place related, to allow for arrange, testing, and operational readiness actions.
•Arrange, integration and commissioning of significant stadium strategies, along with floodlighting, safety and security infrastructure, communication strategies, and emergency administration strategies.
•Upgrading and certification of all designated teaching companies to fulfill CAF AFCON minimal technical, safety, and operational necessities.
•Demonstrable progress on supporting infrastructure, along with entry roads, website guests circulation plans, utilities, power redundancy strategies, and perimeter security installations spherical rivals venues.
•Affirmation of airport operational readiness, along with arrival/departure coping with functionality, VIP and group processing procedures, and coordination with immigration and customs authorities.
•Affirmation of ample resort lodging functionality meeting CAF requirements for teams, officers, media, enterprise companions and totally different occasion stakeholders.
•Establishment and affirmation of a normal visa facilitation framework all through the three host worldwide areas to verify straightforward and properly timed entry for all accredited occasion stakeholders.
What’s in CAF Report
UGANDA
As of February 2026, not one of many proposed rivals stadiums in Uganda completely meets CAF Class 4 requirements.
Uganda’s AFCON 2027 infrastructure programme is presently in a blended a part of constructing, upgrading and operational redesign.
Hoima Metropolis Stadium
A newly constructed stadium requiring operational redesign. Although the stadium building is achieved and operational, a variety of fundamental operational deficiencies have been acknowledged.
Key factors embrace:
*Absence of clear segregation between spectator courses;
*Cross-circulation between media, VIP, teams and regular spectators;
Non-compliant referee dressing rooms;
*Non-compliance of avid gamers’ dressing rooms;
*Media companies below AFCON necessities;
*Blended zone incorrectly positioned all through the rivals house;
*Restricted operational buffer space because of stadium’s geographical location.
*Current place of the benches inflicting a critical view obstruction from the stands.
Mandela Nationwide Stadium
In response to CAF, Mandela Nationwide Stadium requires fundamental upgrading works, indicating it presently presents fundamental compliance gaps with CAF Class 4 requirements.
An enormous-scale enhance enterprise has been proposed, along with:
•Partial demolition of the West Stand;
structural progress;
•roof substitute.
Nonetheless, the preliminary 15-month constructing timeline is incompatible with AFCON 2027 provide requirements. CAF has subsequently advisable revising the enhance approach to:
•Maximise use of the prevailing structural physique;
•Cut back constructing size to deal with completion by December 2026.
Akii Bua Stadium
The inspection group didn’t go to the stadium.
Teaching Infrastructure
CAF reveals that the teaching infrastructure all through the clusters moreover reveals uneven ranges of
readiness, with a variety of proposed web sites requiring rehabilitation or enchancment.
Teaching companies all through the Hoima and Kampala clusters keep notably uneven. Quite a few proposed web sites are presently non-compliant with CAF teaching necessities.
Key challenges embrace:
•Insufficient number of compliant teaching grounds in Hoima;
Pitch rehabilitation requirements.
•Lighting arrange and certification (≥500 lux);
•Completion of dressing rooms and technical companies.
TANZANIA
Tanzania stands out from the three host nations in accordance with the inspection report, presenting a additional superior structural place. Nonetheless, its web internet hosting model introduces additional operational complexity ensuing from three geographical clusters in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Arusha.
“Whereas this configuration provides geographic steadiness, it can enhance the need for strong coordination mechanisms and reliable supporting infrastructure all through the fully totally different host areas,” the report suggests.
Benjamin Mkapa Stadium
The stadium requires fundamental upgrading works in an effort to satisfy AFCON rivals requirements.
Key upgrades embrace:
Full pitch reconstruction and agronomic stabilisation;
Enhance of stadium lighting to ≥2500 lux;
Arrange of power redundancy strategies;
Enchancment of hospitality infrastructure (lounges, prime quality of VIP and VVIP seats and plenty of others.)
Enchancment of spectator stream segregation.
Integration of safety and security strategies.
Samia Suluhu Stadium
Samia Suluhu Stadium is presently most likely probably the most superior stadium enterprise inside Tanzania’s rivals portfolio, in accordance with the report.
Remaining risks relate primarily to the arrange and commissioning of significant operational strategies, along with:
Arrange and certification of stadium lighting;
Completion of power redundancy strategies;
Arrange of safety and security infrastructure;
Broadcast and operational strategies integration.
Fumba Stadium
Fumba Stadium is a model new stadium presently beneath constructing in Zanzibar.
Key publicity areas embrace:
Spectator circulation design
Segregation between fully totally different spectator courses.
Early coordination of mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) strategies, along with lighting, power and safety infrastructure.
“With out early validation of these strategies, late-stage structural modifications would possibly occur, doubtlessly affecting the event timeline,” the report states.
Amaan Stadium
By August 2026 the Tanzanian authorities ought to current:
•A correct authorities willpower on the stadium’s place inside AFCON 2027
•If retained as a contest venue, a validated architectural redesign demonstrating CAF compliance
•Alternatively, reclassification of the stadium as a training facility, Teaching Infrastructure (anticipated diploma of completion >75%)
The August inspection will affirm:
•Affirmation of the final word portfolio of teaching web sites all through all clusters
•Lighting certification ≥500 lux
•Pitch rehabilitation and agronomic stabilisation programmes carried out.
•Availability of pitch repairs gear
•Operational dressing rooms and technical companies
Supporting Infrastructure
The subsequent supporting infrastructure elements ought to moreover reveal measurable progress:
•Entry roads to the Arusha stadium beneath constructing
•Corridor electrification and CCTV security safety plans carried out
•Confirmed utility connections (water, electrical power, drainage)
•Validated resort lodging functionality
Airport logistics coordination and transport planning
KENYA
As of February 2026, not one of many proposed rivals stadiums in Kenya completely meets CAF Class 4 requirements. Kenya’s AFCON 2027 infrastructure programme is presently in a blended a part of constructing, upgrading and operational modifications.
Moi Worldwide Sports activities actions Centre – Kasarani, an present stadium, is current course of fundamental upgrading works.
Talanta Sports activities actions Sophisticated, a model new stadium, is presently beneath constructing.
Nyayo Nationwide Stadium, an present stadium with restricted feasibility as a contest venue.
Moi Worldwide Sports activities actions Centre- Kasarani Standing
The enhance scope incorporates:
•Reconfiguration of spectator circulation and segregation;
•Enchancment of hospitality areas (VVIP, VIP and skyboxes);
•Relocation and restructuring of the Venue Operations Centre (VOC);
Reconstruction of the rivals pitch, along with drainage and irrigation strategies;
•Arrange of a model new lighting system compliant with 3000 lux broadcast necessities;
•Enchancment of safety and security strategies, along with CCTV, entry administration and fireside detection;
Upgrading of media companies, along with the press conference room and media centre.
•The CAF inspection group believes that whereas a variety of enhance works have already commenced, the overall scope of intervention stays in depth, requiring sustained progress to deal with alignment with the AFCON provide timeline.
Talanta Stadium
•Structural completion reaching a minimum of 80%, bodily verified.
•CAF validation of purposeful zoning, along with spectator flows, group areas, media areas and VOC location.
•Integration of significant strategies all through the constructing programme (lighting, power redundancy, security).
•Contractual affirmation of procurement for all fundamental technical strategies.
In response to the report, the enterprise represents a key component of Kenya’s AFCON web internet hosting approach. Nonetheless, the stadium stays uncovered to risks typically associated to huge new-build duties.
Nyayo Nationwide Stadium
In response to the report, the stadium in its current state doesn’t meet CAF Class 4 requirements and no detailed renovation grasp plan was submitted.
At this stage, the stadium would possibly additional realistically be thought-about as a training flooring.
Kenya’s Teaching Infrastructure
The teaching web sites embrace: Kasarani Annexes, Ulinzi and Police Sacco, all inside Nairobi Metropolis.
The current stand is;
•Lighting certification ≥500 luxurious
•Rehabilitated pitches with drainage and irrigation strategies
•Operational pitch repairs gear storage companies.
Newly developed teaching web sites demonstrating:
•Sports activities actions Academy 1 and a pair of achieved with rising pitches
•Talanta Annexes 1–3 reaching ≥60% constructing progress.
•Consolidation of a sensible and executable teaching web site portfolio, eradicating immature or non-mobilised duties.
