CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe has ruled out any possibility of Tanzania being replaced as a co-host of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations despite concerns over the country’s preparations for the tournament.
Tanzania will stage the competition alongside Kenya and Uganda, in what will be the first time the Africa Cup of Nations is jointly hosted by three countries.
Questions have been raised over whether some of Tanzania’s infrastructure will be completed in time, but Motsepe said CAF remained fully committed to the three-nation hosting arrangement.
The South African administrator revealed that he had previously been advised that Tanzania might not be ready to host the tournament and that alternative plans could be considered.
However, he said CAF had no intention of abandoning the current arrangement.
“From CAF’s perspective and personally, there is never going to be Plan B or Plan C, and never will there be,” Motsepe said while speaking to the media on Thursday following a visit to Tanzania.
Motsepe also urged caution over reports about Tanzania’s readiness, saying some of the information being circulated was inaccurate.
He acknowledged that work in certain areas needed to be accelerated but said CAF would continue to work with the Tanzanian authorities and other stakeholders to ensure the required facilities were delivered.
“We have to work together with Tanzania to make sure that whatever areas need to be accelerated, we accelerate them and make sure that we are ready for a successful AFCON,” he said.
Motsepe said he had received detailed reports on the progress of preparations and remained confident that Tanzania could meet the requirements for hosting the continent’s premier international football tournament.
CAF has deployed a 21-member expert delegation across Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda to monitor preparations, with some members permanently based in each of the three host countries.
The delegation is assessing key areas including stadiums, training facilities, pitches and other tournament infrastructure.
Motsepe stressed that close cooperation between CAF, the host governments, the national football associations and local organising committees would be crucial to delivering the tournament successfully.
The CAF president is scheduled to return to Tanzania in January 2027 for a final assessment of the country’s preparations.
The 2027 AFCON is scheduled to be held from 19 June to 17 July, with Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda sharing hosting responsibilities.
