The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has given Kenya a three-month deadline to address critical infrastructure and safety requirements at its match venues ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.
The 36th edition of Africa’s premier football tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in June and July next year. CAF is yet to announce the exact dates for the showpiece.
Last week, Caf’s officials from the departments of infrastructure, pitch management and safety and security carried out inspections at Kenya’s venues for the tournament, and issued several key recommendations.
The Caf officials were: Christian Emeruwa (head of safety and security), Laumee Sophia Totokra (infrastructure expert), and Aaron Mark Cross (pitch management expert). They were joined, during the inspection, by members of Kenya’s Local Organisation Committee (LOC) for the Afcon, and officials from the Ministry of Defence and Sports Kenya.
Sports Kenya is the body mandated with running sports and recreational facilities, which are owned by the national government. The venues visited were Talanta Sports City, Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nyayo National Stadium, Ulinzi Sports Complex, Police Sacco Stadium, Kenya Utalii College Sports Ground, and the Kenya Academy of Sports grounds.
Nation Sport has established that the Caf team directed that installations at the stadiums’ Venue Operation Centre (VOC), as well as the emergency and life safety system at the venues, must be completed in three months’ time.
According to the 2022 edition of Caf‘s Stadium Regulations, VOC is “a room strategically positioned with a clear view of the stadium bowl, big enough to accommodate all safety and security representatives with operational command responsibility for safety and security services on match day.”
The Talanta Stadium in Nairobi that is under construction in this picture taken on February 8, 2026.
Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group
The document adds that a VOC “should have the stadium plan, emergency evacuation plan, closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitors, landline, fire and electrical alarm system monitors, spectator’s attendance recording system, lift of prohibited items.”
Under the emergency and life safety system at the venues, the works to be undertaken include the installation of the emergency lighting across all stadium zones, fully illuminated and unobstructed evacuation routes, certified fire and smoke detection systems, redundant fire backup for all safety systems and a clearly defined emergency evacuation access to the pitches.
Also, to be completed within the next three months is the design of the mixed zone and host broadcaster compound with controlled access points.
Strict timelines set by Caf
Further, the LOC was directed to furnish Caf with updated technical maps and structured work timelines within three months.
The Caf team is expected back in the country in three months for another inspection. On Tuesday, Nicholas Musonye, the chairman of Kenya’s LOC for Afcon, gave a reassurance that the country will adhere to the strict timelines set by Caf.
“We shall try our best to honour all those timelines that they (Caf) have given us,” Musonye said. “We are working very closely with the Ministry of Sports to ensure that we don’t flop anywhere,” he said.
“What Caf is going to recommend to us to do in all our venues, we shall make sure that we do. We don’t want to fail this country. We want to deliver a good competition. We shall ensure that all venues and training grounds are up to Caf standards,” he stated, stressing that they will ensure that the 2027 Afcon take place as scheduled.
Media Operations, Broadcasting, Hospitality, Ticketing, Event Management, Commercial, Medical and Transport are the other CAF departments, which will also carry out inspection visits in the country at various dates.
While addressing officials from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, who were on a benchmarking mission at the 2025 Afcon finals in Morocco last month, Emeruwa stressed that infrastructure for the 2027 Afcon should be ready at least six months before the kick-off.
He added that matches must be played at the new stadiums to test the infrastructure in order to reduce risks.
A view of a section of Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
The Caf’s Head of Safety and Security also noted that the operations team must report to the venues seven months in advance to counter challenges on the ground.
He emphasised the need for a robust security programme for the 2027 Afcon due to the expected large visitors’ arrivals, fan zones being set up early and including promotional activities, while measures must be put in place to prevent ambush marketing. The LOC must also establish a clear line of communication, and preparations for the mascot and official anthem should begin early.
Due to divisions among Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, the three countries failed to establish a joint steering committee for the delayed 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan).
The three countries could also not agree on the tournament’s mascot, an official promotional song, or a joint website.
