AFCON 2027: Musonye Admits Kasarani Stadium Concerns but Offers Reassurance Ahead of CAF Inspection

Confederation of African Football (CAF) inspectors are set to visit co-hosts Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania next month to evaluate their readiness for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 36th edition of the 24-nation championship is scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027. CAF has imposed a strict deadline of January 2027 for all match venues and training grounds to be fully operational.

This follows a February 2026 inspection which found that none of the proposed venues across the three host nations met the required standards.

In response, CAF outlined critical targets in governance, operations, finance, and infrastructure that must be met before the upcoming August inspection.

A recent spot check of Kenya's designated venues revealed that the country is lagging behind on several infrastructure goals.

However, Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman Nicholas Musonye remains confident that Kenya will meet its obligations.

"We are very much on course," Musonye stated in an interview with Nation Sport. "By the time CAF inspectors arrive next month, we will be in a very good position to explain ourselves."

Kenya's primary match venues are the 60,000-seater Talanta Sports City and the 48,000-seater Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani.

A recent CAF report stipulated that venues must achieve a minimum of 80% physical completion by the August inspection.

While construction at Talanta Sports City surpassed the 90% mark in May 2026, the renovation of MISC Kasarani is significantly behind schedule. Upgrades, including the replacement of the playing surface, are currently underway.

"My worry as I talk to you now is Kasarani," admitted Musonye. "But by the end of this week, a lot of things will have been done there to ensure that when the CAF inspectors come, they will be satisfied that we are honouring their requirements."

One point of contention is CAF's demand for 61 skyboxes at Kasarani. Musonye explained that the LOC has informed CAF they will maintain the existing 14, citing concerns that adding more would be costly and could compromise the stadium's structural integrity.

CAF's extensive requirements for AFCON venues also include a modern natural grass pitch with proper drainage and irrigation, floodlighting of 2,500-3,000 lux, and expansive VVIP/VIP areas.

Additionally, stadiums must feature four large dressing rooms, dedicated referee facilities suitable for female officials, and comprehensive media infrastructure, including a 100-200 seat press conference room and a media tribune for at least 300 journalists.

Of the 12 training grounds earmarked by Kenya, only the three at Talanta Sports City are currently under development. On June 22, Sports Cabinet Secretary Slim Mvurya handed these grounds over to the Ministry of Defence for refurbishment.

Musonye downplayed concerns, stating that the training grounds require minimal work. He added that renovations at Kasarani Annex 1 and 2 would begin this week after contractual issues were resolved.

"The contractor met with the relevant authorities last week to harmonise payments and other details," Musonye said. "So I know by the end of this week, a lot of things will also happen on the training grounds."

Organisers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have assured that renovations for training venues will be completed on schedule, as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) works to meet a series of stringent CAF requirements ahead of an August inspection.

In a significant development, Musonye revealed that visa-free entry for fans and stakeholders during the tournament has been approved by Kenya and Tanzania. The announcement followed a meeting between the LOC and President William Ruto on July 9.

"We were invited by the Head of State, and the issue of free entry visa for Kenya was approved. Tanzania has also been approved," Musonye stated.

"We are only waiting for communication from Uganda so that we issue a joint communique to CAF that cross-border movement and free entry visa for all people in our region is guaranteed."