Table of Contents
- AFCON 2027 in Kenya remains in limbo following fresh reports that its preparations are facing a major budget deficit
- The National Treasury made major budgetary cuts to the State Department of Sports in the proposed 2025-2026 financial year
- Already, there are other infrastructural hurdles Kenya is grappling with its quest to host the tournament in 2027
AFCON 2027 in Kenya remains in limbo following fresh reports that its preparations are facing a major budget deficit.
The National Treasury made significant budgetary cuts to the State Department of Sports, which oversees the preparation of the continental football tournament.
This is a major setback for Kenya and its bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027, together with Tanzania and Uganda.
Already, there are other infrastructural hurdles Kenya is grappling with its quest to host the tournament in 2027 as well as CHAN 2025.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) expressed its doubt recently about Kenya’s Nyayo National Stadium and Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
These are the two earmarked venues to host 2025 CHAN and AFCON 2027.
Budget Cuts for AFCON 2027 in Kenya
The proposed budget for the State Department of Sports for the 2025-2026 financial year indicates that the department will lose Ksh1.1 billion.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee’s revised estimates reduce the allocation from Ksh18.59 billion to Ksh17.46 billion.
The initial Ksh.3.9 billion set aside for hosting AFCON 2027 in Kenya as co-hosting rights fee is no longer accounted for in the proposed budget estimates.
Kenya’s Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya. Photo/Salim Mvurya
Kenya successfully bid to co-host the 36th edition of Africa’s premier football tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
However, with the co-hosting fee deadline approaching in April 2026, concerns over the financial stability of Kenya’s State Department of Sports are worrying.
This revelation further fuels the ongoing debate on Kenya’s readiness to host international events, raising doubts about its ability to fulfil co-hosting obligations.
Salim Mvurya, the Sports Cabinet Secretary, in his submission to the National Assembly on May 19, 2025, emphasised the urgent need to allocate funds to honour Kenya’s commitment to co-hosting AFCON.
He told a parliamentary committee on Sports and Culture that his ministry had drafted the required agreements for AFCON 2027 in Kenya.
However, he appealed for expeditious release of Ksh3.9 billion by the National Treasury to the Sports ministry to settle Kenya’s co-hosting rights fee.
He decried that this amount was excluded from the ministry’s 2025/2026 budget.
In a report to the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC), the Committee on Sports and Culture cautioned that failure to pay the hosting rights fees could put Kenya’s co-hosting responsibilities at risk.
However, the BAC neither proposed solutions for the funding shortfall nor included additional allocations to ministries in this budget year.
What Next for Kenya Hosting AFCON?
AFCON Trophy. Photo/ Kawa News.
In light of recent developments, AFCON 2027 in Kenya remains uncertain. A fortnight ago, CAF dispatched a team of assessors to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The CAF assessors, led by CAF’s Vice President Pierre Alain Mounguengui expressed dissatisfaction with the ‘poor surface quality’ of Kasarani Stadium and Nyayo Stadium.
The stadiums are below CAF’s standards, a fact that Mvurya disputed. He defended Kenya, saying its two major stadiums match the recommended CAF standards.
Furthermore, CAF also expressed concern about the availability of training facilities. Still, the ministry downplayed the concerns, insisting that selected training grounds met all CAF requirements.
Kenya insists that everything is on course towards the big day in 2027. It will be the first time that such a major tournament will be held in Nairobi, Dar es Saalam and Kampala.
