Kenya to submit joint 2027 Afcon bid on Wednesday
What you need to know:
- Kenya has teamed up with neighbours Tanzania and Uganda in the plan dubbed the “Pamoja” bid to bring the coveted continental showpiece to the East Africa region for the first time in history.
- The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set May 23 as the deadline for member associations to submit their final bids.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa on Monday briefed Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba on Kenya’s joint bid for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), ahead of its planned submission on Wednesday.
The meeting held at the Ministry of Sports' offices at Maktaba Kuu Building in Nairobi was also attended by Sports Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke and FKF Secretary-General Barry Otieno.
Kenya has teamed up with neighbours Tanzania and Uganda in the plan dubbed the “Pamoja” bid to bring the coveted continental showpiece to the East Africa region for the first time in history.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set May 23 as the deadline for member associations to submit their final bids.
Algeria, Botswana and Egypt are the countries that submitted their expression of interest to host the 2027 Afcon.
After the morning meeting at Maktaba Kuu Building, the Ministry of Sports and FKF officials were in the afternoon expected to brief President William Ruto at State House in Nairobi on the joint bid.
Addressing the media at State House in Nairobi Sunday night, Dr Ruto confirmed that the bid will be submitted on Wednesday.
According to CAF, the bid documents should entail hosting agreement, hosting cities agreement and government guarantees which must all be duly signed.
CS Namwamba had last week said that the three nations had agreed to present three stadiums each. Currently, both Kenya and Uganda do have a stadium approved by CAF to host its matches.
Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar e Salaam is the only arena that the continental football governing body has approved in Tanzania.
CAF's demands for any country hosting its matches are that the venues must be near an airport, level five hospital and a five-star hotel.
Each of the venues must also be accompanied by at least three world class training grounds.
CAF has set June 1 to July 15 as the duration for inspection visits. Kenya was awarded, and later on stripped of the hosting rights for the 1996 Afcon, and 2018 African Nation Championship (CHAN).
