CAF happy with Kenyan stadiums progress ahead of 2027 Afcon

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe address during the post-Executive Committee press conference of the Confederation Africain Football football growth in Kenya. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

African football governing body CAF is impressed with the progress of Kenyan stadiums ahead of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) next year and the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2027.

Kenya will host the two football premier events alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

The CAF Executive Committee, led by President Patrice Motsepe, said the federation is happy with the renovation progress ongoing at Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums and the ongoing construction work at the Talanta Stadium along Ngong Road in Nairobi which they inspected.

They also thanked President Ruto who gave them total commitment that the three sporting arenas will be completed in time for the forthcoming championships.

"Talanta should be world class, I'm very proud with the construction taking place there. The ongoing work at Kasarani is also very superb," Motsepe told Standard Sports at the first ever CAF Ex-Co Meeting held in Kenya, Nairobi on Monday.

The meeting was also graced by Ruto who pledged his commitment in the building and upgrading of the stadiums.

"Kenya hosting CHAN and Afcon is such a major milestone for the country.

"President Museveni (Uganda) and President Suluhu (Tanzania) and I have had a conversation together on this and we are all aligned in making sure that we give the best support towards these events," Ruto told CAF.

"These competitions go beyond us as leaders, they go beyond us as presidents, as the people themselves are supervising these projects to ensure everything is put in place to make the sporting extravaganzas memorable," Ruto said.

Motsepe noted that once completed, the stadiums in Kenya will open more opportunities for talent development, job creations and social integrations, especially among young people, apart from the two major events that they will be hosting.

"I have a feeling that next year's CHAN will be the best ever since the inception of the tournament. This confidence has been built by the assurances from Ruto, Suluhu and Museveni," Motsepe said.

Motsepe promised to be back in December to check the progress of the playgrounds for further analysis.

During the Ex-Co Meeting, the CAF Committee also set February 1-28, 2025 as the official dates for CHAN competition with qualification window period slated for October  to December 2024.

"About 19 countries will get opportunity to qualify for CHAN and it is our hope that Kenya , Uganda and Tanzania will host an exciting showpiece that will be a culmination of the AFCON 2027," saidMotsepe.

Motsepe said CAF is concerned with Kenya's hosting of home matches away at the ongoing Afcon 2025 and the World Cup qualifiers saying they are hopeful this will end very soon when the stadiums are completed.

On the forthcoming Football Kenya Federation elections slated for December, CAF urged football stakeholders to choose leaders whom they have confidence in.

"CAF will be ready to work with the new leadership that will be elected into the office," said Motsepe.

However, Motsepe was non-committal if he will run for another term in office in the CAF elections slated for next year.