AFCON hosts face hotel and border test ahead of 2027 finals
CAF has raised concerns about hotel capacity outside Kampala and the pace of work on a shared visa for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, adding pressure on Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to settle tournament logistics before next June.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has identified accommodation outside Kampala and cross-border travel as outstanding issues in preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The concerns extend beyond stadium construction to the capacity of three co-hosts to move and accommodate teams, officials, sponsors and supporters during the tournament.CAF officials met Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni on September 22 after inspecting stadiums, training facilities and other infrastructure. They acknowledged progress on playing facilities but raised concerns about the pace of hotel development in host cities outside the capital.Museveni had endorsed a common tournament visa at an earlier meeting with Uganda’s organising committee in July, saying: “This is common sense. I support it.” Following the latest CAF visit, he pledged to pursue the arrangement with his counterparts in Kenya and Tanzania.A shared visa remains a proposal rather than an agreed entry system. Uganda has suggested an arrangement lasting four months that would allow visitors to travel between the three host countries without seeking separate permits, but its implementation requires their governments to agree how it will work.That decision has operational consequences for a tournament staged across national borders. Supporters following their teams may need to travel between host countries, while organisers must also plan movement for accredited staff, broadcasters and commercial partners.Uganda’s accommodation challenge is more concentrated outside Kampala, where CAF has questioned whether hotel development is keeping pace with preparations. The government has directed agencies to accelerate work on roads, airports and other services alongside its stadium and training-ground projects.Hoima City Stadium is among Uganda’s planned match venues, with the nearby Kabalega International Airport forming part of the wider transport preparations. Progress on the stadium alone will therefore not settle questions about how visitors reach the city and where they stay.CAF president Patrice Motsepe has expressed confidence that Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will host the tournament, while urging faster delivery of the facilities still required. CAF has also identified hotels, transport and accommodation among the service areas needed for the first Africa Cup of Nations jointly hosted by three countries.The finals are scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027.