Photo via BBC Sport

Postponement not an option as Kenya races to be ready for Afcon 2027

Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has urged co-hosts Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to speed up their groundwork ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The regional showcase, marking the tournament's first return to East Africa in 51 years, is scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July.

Despite a target to begin trial matches in January, an inspection revealed that several facilities remain behind schedule, particularly in Kenya following prior visits to Tanzania. Motsepe, however, completely dismissed the possibility of rescheduling the competition, emphasizing that world-class standards for infrastructure, hotels, training pitches, and transit routes must be satisfied.

In Nairobi, where the 60,000-seat Talanta Stadium is under construction, major concerns center on Kasarani Stadium and its designated practice fields. Organizers had aimed for venues to reach 80 percent completion by August, but Kasarani still lacks a finished pitch alongside incomplete broadcast cabling, lighting, and hospitality suites, while seating plans require alteration to safeguard attending dignitaries.

Although Kasarani recently secured hosting rights for the 2029 World Athletics Championships over bids from London and Rome, substantial remediation remains before the year's end. Kenya's sports cabinet secretary Salim Mvurya pledged that contractors will finish all necessary work by December to ensure the arenas are fully operational for early test fixtures.