Kenya’s dream of co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations are facing growing uncertainty, with fresh revelations exposing deep financial and infrastructural setbacks that could derail the country’s role in the continental showpiece.
Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi has laid bare the situation, confirming that Kenya is yet to remit the mandatory hosting fee of Ksh 3.9 billion (approximately $30 million) to the Confederation of African Football. The payment is a critical requirement under the ‘East Africa Pamoja’ bid, a joint hosting arrangement with Uganda and Tanzania.
The deadline for this payment is set for March 30, 2026, but unlike its regional partners who have already fulfilled their financial obligations, Kenya remains the only country yet to comply. PS Mwangi warned that failure to meet this requirement could cost Kenya its hosting slot and significantly damage its standing within African football circles.
Beyond the hosting fee, a more troubling picture is emerging from the country’s key stadium projects. At Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, the government owes contractors more than Ksh 3.7 billion. The financial strain has already had visible consequences, with the contractor scaling down operations and reducing the workforce on site. With CAF having issued a strict six-month deadline to have both competition and training venues ready, PS Mwangi admitted that meeting that timeline now appears unlikely.
The situation is even more dire at Nyayo National Stadium. Outstanding payments exceeding Ksh.2.6 billion have forced the contractor to abandon the site altogether, leaving behind stalled works and little tangible progress. For a facility expected to play a central role in the tournament, the current state paints a worrying picture.
As concerns mount around Kasarani and Nyayo, attention has also turned to the much-publicized Talanta City Stadium project. While activity has slowed, work has not entirely stopped. Recent developments show installation of seats on the middle deck, with new images revealing uniformly green molded seats. However, these are not the foldable seats many fans had anticipated, and they resemble the earlier batch that sparked public criticism months ago. Questions now linger over whether the quality concerns raised previously have been addressed.
The broader infrastructure network meant to support the tournament is also lagging behind. A proposed railway link intended to connect Talanta City Stadium to Nyayo Stadium ,once touted as a key legacy project , has yet to break ground. With timelines tightening, such delays only compound the growing sense of unpreparedness.
With just over a year remaining until the tournament and only six months effectively available to meet CAF’s readiness benchmarks, Kenya finds itself in a race against time. The combination of unpaid hosting fees, stalled stadium works, and delayed supporting infrastructure has placed the country’s AFCON dream on shaky ground.
What was once billed as a historic opportunity for East Africa to showcase its football and development potential is now under serious threat. Unless urgent financial commitments are met and construction regains momentum, Kenya risks watching the tournament it helped bid for slip away for the second time after 1996 Afcon bid ,before a ball is even kicked.
