Big Brother in Town: Uganda Under Watch as CAF Inspectors Arrive to Assess AFCON 2027 Venues

Uganda’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will come under scrutiny as Confederation of African Football (CAF) officials have begun an inspection tour of East Africa.

Just like neighbours Kenya and Tanzania, Uganda is facing questions over whether they will be ready to stage a successful AFCON 2027 and there are already reports that CAF is considering pushing the tournament to 2028 due to doubts over East Africa’s preparedness.

Amid that uncertainty, CAF has dispatched a team of officials to the region to assess key facilities among them stadiums and training venues.

“The inspection visits by the technical experts kicked off this week and will run until Tuesday, 17 February, as CAF applies its strict, world-class delivery standards,” CAF said via a statement on its website.

“These include technical assessments covering pitch requirements, as well as safety, security and infrastructure readiness at key match and training venues earmarked for use during the tournament.

“CAF’s inspections form part of a broader strategy to raise standards on and off the pitch across African football. By driving consistent, world-class benchmarks in infrastructure, operations and venue management, CAF aims to enhance the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON’s reputation as among the leading football tournaments in the world.

“These efforts also support CAF’s wider objective of helping to build a stronger and more self-sustaining football ecosystem on the continent through partnerships with governments to improve facilities, delivery capability and long-term football development.”

In Uganda, CAF will look at both the Mandela National Stadium and Hoima City Stadium, the two venues earmarked to host the tournament, while there will also be visits to a number of designated training grounds with accommodation facilities also set to be assessed.

Of the three countries, Uganda is the only one with both stadiums complete after Hoima City was inaugurated last December with Mandela Stadium set for further renovations to get it in top shape.

Kenya is still constructing a new 60,000-seater Talanta Stadium, which will be used alongside Kasarani Stadium, while in Tanzania, the 30,000-seater Samia Suluhu Stadium is coming up in Arusha and will host some matches as well as the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.