By HOMELAND MEDIA TEAM
The East Africa Pamoja Bid to host the 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament has been approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The approval announcement was made in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.
Uganda will host the AFCON alongside Kenya and Tanzania. Morocco will host the 2025 edition.
This means that Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda have automatically qualified for AFCON 2027 as hosts.
Moses Magogo, the FUFA President, welcomed the development.
“I want in a special way to thank the Heads of States of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, H.E William Samoei Ruto and H.E Samia Suluhu who have been supportive in this cause and committed to invest in order to realize this dream,” he said on Wednesday, 27 September 2023.
Magogo also said he believes the East African countries will be ready to host the tournament by 2027.
“I want to inform the public that bids are awarded on plans not what exists. We have the confidence that by 2027 the necessary structures will be in place. This bid is for all of us,” he said.
State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang was elated by the announcement. “18 out of 54 countries have hosted AFCON. None of the 3 East African countries has ever hosted it. Our turn has now come! Thank you H.E President Kaguta Museveni and the Minister of Education and Sports, First Lady, Janet Museveni, and all Ugandans for standing with us,” he announced on X, formerly Twitter.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among also welcomed the news. “Our Pamoja Bid, to co- host the 2027 AFCON finals with Kenya and Tanzania is now a reality. I congratulate H. E Kaguta Museveni and everyone who gave this bid a push. Pamoja tunawakilisha,” she tweeted.
While submitting their bid, Uganda listed training grounds as Kampala International School Uganda (KISU) and Muteesa II Stadium Wankulukuku and stadiums as Mandela National Stadium, Denver Godwin Stadium (Garuga), St Mary’s Stadium and Nakivubo Stadium.
Previously, Gabon and Equitorial Guinea, Nigeria and Ghana had jointly hosted the event.
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