Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has urged East African nations to match the exemplary standards set by Morocco in their successful hosting of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Following Morocco’s triumphant organisation of the 2025 tournament, the upcoming 36th edition will be jointly shared by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, taking place from June 19 to July 18.
This will be a historic first, as three East African countries collaborate to host the continent’s premier football event, with the last AFCON held in the CECAFA region occurring five decades ago in Ethiopia in 1976.
Morocco set a new standard for hosting during the 2025 tournament, with Motsepe noting afterward that the North African nation had significantly uplifted benchmarks for the rest of Africa.
Utilising nine stadiums across six cities (Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir, and Fes) for the 24-team competition, Morocco exceeded the traditional six-venue format.
The event was characterised by efficient logistics, including high-speed rail connections between host cities, dedicated training facilities for all teams, and premium accommodations.
In light of this, the CAF President has challenged Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to uphold these elevated standards, expressing confidence that the 2027 tournament will be a success.
‘East Africa must maintain high standards’
“As you can see, Morocco has elevated the benchmark. I’m not just pleased; I’m genuinely proud of that achievement. The next AFCON has high standards to aspire to and maintain,” Motsepe stated, as reported by Pulse Sports.
“This is why I visited Tanzania post-AFCON, to express my confidence in them and our commitment to collaborating to enhance football in East Africa. I’m dedicated to developing football not just in this region, but across all 54 nations on the continent.”
The Moroccan tournament was marked by record ticket sales and the initiation of official Fan Parks with free access, embodying the event’s “We Are Different” ethos. It generated significant commercial success, reportedly leading to a 90% increase in competition revenues and attracting 23 sponsors.
To ensure a successful tournament in East Africa, Motsepe announced plans for a forthcoming visit to Kenya, where he will meet with the head of state to assess infrastructure readiness.
Motsepe’s upcoming visit to Kenya
“I’ll be travelling to Kenya for a meeting with heads of state. Initially, I had conflicting commitments on that date, but upon request from several heads of state, I rearranged my schedule to be present in Kenya on May 12,” Motsepe explained.
“I plan to use this visit to evaluate the infrastructure. There’s a CAF team stationed in East Africa, because hard work often leads to success. You must be driven and dedicated to achievement to maximise your chances of it.”
“Our commitment to maintaining high standards is unwavering, hence I am confident that we will succeed in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.”
The 2027 edition will also commemorate the 70th anniversary of AFCON and will be the final tournament held in odd-numbered years, as CAF announced in December 2025 that future editions will transition to a quadrennial format starting in 2028.
This AFCON will follow the co-hosting of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, which occurs in February 2025, where Morocco clinched their third CHAN title defeating Madagascar 3-2 in the final.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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