JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (Reuters) - Next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals face challenges, the Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe said on Wednesday but predicted the event that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be an “enormous success”.
Motsepe did not specify the challenges but the building of stadiums in Kenya has caused concern over the last few years.
Government officials said in May that the new 60,000-seat Talanta Sports City stadium in Nairobi and renovations to the 48,000-capacity Moi International Sports Centrewere on track.
“We have to have confidence in our people despite the challenges and sometimes there will be failures, but we have to get up and go again,” Motsepe told a press conference in Johannesburg.
“But the Cup of Nations in East Africa will be an enormous success. There are some challenges but I’m proud with the work of the heads of state of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are doing,” Motsepe added.
The tournament will be held in 2027 and again in 2028, from when the continental championship will be held every four years rather than biennially as has been the case.
Motsepe said bids for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 Cup of Nations were opened and “exciting bids” received, although he did not elaborate.
The 2027 finals will be played from June 19-July 17 but CAF has yet to announce the venues.
Qualifiers for the 24-team field begin in September and will be concluded by March.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
