Kenya’s preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals with Uganda and Tanzania, have come under renewed scrutiny after a delegation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) established that the country has fallen short of most of the targets set in February.
CAF officials arrived in Kenya for the latest round of inspection of 2027 Afcon facilities on August 26 and left on August 28 for Uganda for a similar inspection. They delegation then flew to Tanzania. The three countries will co-host the 36th edition of Afcon from June 19 to July 17.
The continental football governing body has set a strict deadline of January 2027 for all the venues earmarked for the tournament across the three host countries to be fully operational.
According to sources familiar with the details of the inspection, the CAF delegation said only 10 percent of the work they asked Kenya to do at Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani has been done, the slow pace of renovation emerging as the main concern.
The team was unimpressed with the fact that Kenya has been doing only pitch replacement at the stadium since their last visit in February.
Nation Sport has also established that the delegation failed to visit some of the training venues after learning that no progress had been made on them since their last visit in February. The training venues are Nyayo National Stadium, Kenya Academy of Sports “A” and “B”, Kenya Utalii Sports Ground, and Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu.
Inside Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on August 1, 2025.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
However, the CAF delegation was impressed with the strides made in getting the Talanta Sports City ready for the championship, although it made several recommendations aimed at improving the facility.
“They didn’t waste time to go there (the training venues where renovation work has yet to start),” a source familiar with the details of the inspection said on condition of anonymity. “They have concerns over Kasarani (MISC). Nothing has moved from February other than the surface. For Talanta (Sports City), they noted good progress,” the source added.
Based on the assessment, CAF is expected to release a comprehensive report on Kenya’s preparations to co-host the tournament.
Confederation of Africa Football Caf General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba (left) and Sports Administrative Secretary Evans Achoka inspect Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on July 21, 2025
Photo credit: CHris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret has been earmarked as an alternative match venue in Kenya. The training venues, which the CAF delegation visited last week, are Ulinzi Sports Complex, Police Sacco Stadium, MISC Kasarani Annex “A” and “B”, and Talanta Sports City Annex 1, 2 and 3.
Apart from the Talanta Sports City annexes, work has yet to begin at all the other training venues. By the time CAF were undertaking the second inspection last week, Kenya had fallen short of most targets set by the continental football governing body after the February 2026 inspection. However, Nicholas Musonye, the chairman of Kenya’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Afcon has assured fans that the country will be ready to co-host the tournament.
“We are working very closely with the Ministry of Sports and the Department of Defence. These things will be done and we are ready for Afcon,” stated Musonye.
Confederation of Africa Football Caf General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba (left) and Sports Administrative Secretary Evans Achoka inspect Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on July 21, 2025
Photo credit: CHris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Based on the report released by CAF in March following its February inspection, the continental football governing body expected several improvements at MISC by the time of last week’s inspection. They include least 60 per cent completion of hospitality spaces, complete reconstruction of the competition’s pitch, competition lightning to have been installed and certified at a minimum of 2500 lux and the turnstiles at the facility to have been reinstalled and operational.
The media center and press conference facilities were also expected to be at least 60 per cent complete while safety and security systems (CCTV, access control, and fire detection) were expected to be at least 50 per cent installed.
Musonye insisted that not much work is required at the facility and others since the venues successfully hosted the African Nations Championship in August 2025. The LOC chairman revealed during the inspection last week, the CAF delegation recommended the expansion of the broadcast area as well as making it more secure and improving the media center.
Construction of skyboxes was among the issues raised during the inspection. Musonye said the Ministry of Sports had asked CAF to allow Kenya to construct only six skyboxes instead of the 61 recommended by CAF, explaining that adding more could interfere with the stadium’s structural integrity. However, they are yet to receive a response on the request.
An exterior view of the under-construction 60,000-seater Raila Odinga Talanta Stadium in Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
On Talanta Sports City, he said that the CAF team suggested the expansion of the media conference room to accommodate more than 200 journalists, expansion of the broadcast area, as well as making it more secure.
The CAF team also recommended the establishment of many routes around Talanta Sports City to make movement easy.
As at last week’s inspection, CAF expected 75 percent progress in renovation of all the training venues as per CAF’s minimum technical, safety and operational standards for Afcon.
