Kenyan President William Ruto has met Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe in Nairobi as preparations continue for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The meeting took place at State House in Nairobi during a CAF assessment visit focused on Kenya’s preparations for hosting the tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
Motsepe’s visit included an assessment of infrastructure development, with particular attention given to stadium projects that will be central to Kenya’s role as one of the three hosts.
CAF welcomed the progress made at the Talanta Sports City Stadium construction site and also noted ongoing modernisation work at Kasarani Stadium.
The continental football governing body praised the Kenyan authorities for what it described as a proactive approach towards completing the projects within the required timeframe and ensuring the stadiums meet international standards.
The meeting between Ruto and Motsepe brought together representatives from CAF, the Kenyan government, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee.
Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to delivering a successful tournament as the country continues preparations for the continental competition.
The Kenyan president’s meeting with the CAF chief comes as the three East African hosts work towards staging the Africa Cup of Nations in a first-of-its-kind co-hosting arrangement involving Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
CAF has expressed confidence in the three countries and their preparations for the tournament.
Motsepe reiterated his confidence in the three hosts following the inspection activities in Kenya, while CAF highlighted the commitment of the region’s heads of state to the organisation of the competition.
The assessment included visits to key stadium projects in Nairobi, giving CAF an opportunity to evaluate the progress of infrastructure work ahead of the tournament.
At Talanta Sports City Stadium, CAF observed significant progress in construction.
Kasarani Stadium, meanwhile, is undergoing modernisation as Kenya works to improve its facilities ahead of the competition.
The development of stadium infrastructure is an important part of Kenya’s preparations, with CAF stressing the need for venues to meet international standards.
The assessment visit therefore provided an opportunity for the continental body to review progress and engage directly with the Kenyan authorities and other stakeholders involved in the tournament.
For East African football, AFCON 2027 represents a major opportunity, with three countries set to jointly host Africa’s premier national-team competition.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are working together to deliver the tournament, an arrangement described in the source as an unprecedented co-hosting of the competition in East Africa.
CAF believes the event can become a significant moment for football development in the sub-region.
The meeting between Ruto and Motsepe also demonstrated the involvement of both political and football authorities in the preparations, with government officials, FKF leadership and the local organising committee all taking part.
As work continues, Kenya will be expected to maintain the pace of stadium construction and modernisation ahead of the tournament.
The Talanta Sports City Stadium project and the upgrades at Kasarani remain key parts of the country’s preparations.
CAF’s assessment has provided the continental body with a closer look at the progress being made in Kenya, while Motsepe’s discussions with President Ruto reinforced the commitment of the Kenyan government to the tournament.
With preparations continuing across the three host nations, CAF has expressed confidence that Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania can deliver a successful Africa Cup of Nations in 2027.
