Museveni assures CAF of Uganda’s readiness to co-host AFCON 2027
KAMPALA: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assured the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that Uganda is committed to completing the necessary preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
President Museveni made the assurance on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during a meeting with a CAF delegation led by Secretary General Samson Adamu at State House.
The delegation, which includes CAF Country Infrastructure Manager Bianca Wambui and a technical team, is in Uganda to assess the country’s preparedness ahead of the continental tournament scheduled for June 2027.
During the meeting, CAF officials briefed the President on their observations following inspections of stadiums, training facilities and other infrastructure required for the tournament.
Wambui commended the progress made so far, particularly in the development of stadiums and training grounds.
> “I would like to commend the efforts that have been put in so far, especially in terms of the stadiums and training grounds. The progress is commendable,” she said.
President Museveni said the Government would address the outstanding requirements and ensure Uganda is ready to host the tournament.
He pointed to Uganda’s experience hosting the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in 2024, which brought together representatives from about 150 countries.
> “We hosted NAM here, which comprised 150 countries, and we were able to deal with them. The Kampala area has the facilities, but now the challenge is upcountry, which we are now going to concentrate on,” Museveni said.
The President further assured the CAF delegation that the Government would take the necessary measures to address the remaining gaps.
> “I will unlock whatever needs to be unlocked, and I’m very sure the AFCON people will be very happy when they come here,” he said.
CAF Calls for Single Visa Arrangement
During the meeting, CAF Secretary General Samson Adamu also called for the fast-tracking of a single visa arrangement for Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The proposed arrangement would facilitate the movement of football fans, teams and other tournament delegates across the three host countries during AFCON 2027.
In response, President Museveni said he would engage his counterparts in Kenya and Tanzania on the matter, adding that discussions on the initiative had already begun.
“I have got all my orders, and I’m going to implement them,” Museveni said.
Museveni Meets National AFCON Task Force
In a related development, President Museveni also met the National AFCON Task Force, led by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, to receive an update on preparations for the tournament.
The task force briefed the President on activities being undertaken by Government ministries, departments and agencies involved in preparations for the continental competition.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang; Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) President Moses Magogo; and other Government officials.
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania under the Pamoja arrangement.
The tournament is expected to bring the continent’s premier national football competition to East Africa in a joint hosting project involving the three neighbouring countries.
