AFCON 2027: Why Kenya is Not Ready to Implement Key CAF Requirement at Kasarani Stadium

Kenya has made it clear that a requirement for 61 skyboxes at Kasarani Stadium made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is not possible and wants it relaxed.

Kasarani Stadium is currently undergoing renovation ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and among what CAF wants at the host venue is 61 skyboxes (private luxury suites located high in stadium seating areas, offering panoramic views, premium seating, climate control, catering, and exclusive amenities for VIPs and corporate guests).

However, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has said that that requirement will be impossible to implement at Kasarani Stadium as it would be a huge disruption and risk to the existing infrastructure and could lead to a major delay in completion of renovation work.

“Technical assessment by Sports Kenya indicates that the construction of the 61 skyboxes would require major structural interference with already existing critical infrastructure at Kasarani,” Mvuray said on Friday.

“Reworking the stadium at this stage risks delaying Kenya’s readiness timelines, and therefore discussions with CAF are ongoing on this specific element.”

It is not certain if CAF will agree to relax one of its key requirements for such a major tournament and the issue could lead to a standoff between Kenya and Africa’s football governing body.

The skybox requirement was part of a CAF inspection report delivered to Kenya in March this year when it raised concerns that the country, as well as AFCON 2027 co-hosts Uganda and Tanzania, were behind schedule in terms of preparations for the tournament.

Kenya intends to use Kasarani and Talanta Sports City, currently under construction, as its venues for AFCON 2027, with the latter expected to be ready by the end of June and include 52 skyboxes.

Kasarani Stadium renovation work, which started last month, includes; installation of a new playing surface, reconfiguration of spectator circulation, relocation of the Venue Operations Centre (VOC), installation of a 3000-lux broadcast-compliant lighting system, upgrades to CCTV, access control, and fire detection systems, expansion of media facilities, including press conference and media centers among others.

CAF will make a second inspection in East Africa in August when it is expected that the main stadiums will be at least 60 per cent complete and training facilities at 75 per cent while the region should hand over all facilities by December ahead of the tournament that will take place between June 19 and July 17, 2027.