NAIROBI, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe appreciated Kenya's initial preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
Motsepe visited three stadiums in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, that are undergoing repairs or construction in preparation for both the 2027 AFCON and the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournaments. On Sunday, he met with Kenya's President William Ruto to discuss progress.
During a press conference held Monday after a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Nairobi, Motsepe expressed confidence in Kenya's ability to deliver the necessary infrastructure. "I trust President William Ruto to deliver the stadiums because he is a man of his word," Motsepe told reporters.
Ruto reassured CAF that Kenya would be ready to host the continental football showpiece, despite currently lacking a CAF-certified stadium. The Moi International Sports Centre and Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, which have been closed for repairs, are among the venues under renovation. Talanta Sports City Stadium, also in Nairobi, is under construction.
"We commit that Kasarani and Nyayo will be ready by the end of this year for the CHAN in 2025, while Talanta Sports City Stadium will be completed by December 2025 for 2027 AFCON," Ruto confirmed.
Kenya will co-host both the CHAN and AFCON tournaments with its neighbors Uganda and Tanzania. Motsepe announced that CHAN 2025 will take place from February 1 to 28, with matches hosted in Nairobi, Kampala (Uganda), and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).
The CHAN tournament, which features only domestic players, will begin qualifiers from October 27 to 29 and conclude in December. Motsepe expressed excitement about the upcoming tournament: "We have an exciting competition ahead, featuring some of Africa's most successful and popular nations. CHAN attracts significant media coverage both in Africa and globally. We couldn't have chosen better hosts than Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and I am confident this CHAN will be the most successful in the competition's history."
