The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is continuing to monitor preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with a fresh inspection reportedly taking place in Tanzania less than a year before the tournament begins.
The competition is scheduled to run from 19 June to 18 July 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, the three East African hosts known collectively as the “Pamoja” trio. With just over 10 months until the opening match, CAF has stepped up its presence on the ground as concerns remain over the pace of preparations.
According to football insider Micky Jnr, a CAF delegation is currently in Tanzania for a three-day visit running from Tuesday to Thursday. The inspection follows the expiry of a deadline set for August and is intended to assess both the progress of the preparations and the condition of the infrastructure earmarked for the tournament.
The latest visit is part of a wider inspection tour across the host nations. The CAF team was reportedly in Kenya before travelling to Tanzania, with attention there likely to have focused on the construction of the Talanta Sports Stadium in Nairobi.
The stadium project has been among the developments attracting scrutiny as the hosts work to complete the facilities required for the tournament. Earlier this year, reported delays and shortcomings raised internal concerns over the progress of construction work and the coordination of logistical preparations.
Those concerns led CAF to hold an emergency meeting with representatives of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in April. The meeting underlined the pressure facing the organisers as they continue working towards the 2027 finals.
Rumours have persisted that CAF is privately worried about the slow pace of construction. Some reports have even suggested that Morocco could be asked to take over the organisation of the tournament if the situation fails to improve.
However, CAF has continued to publicly express confidence in the East African hosts and has not confirmed any plan to move the competition. Its most recent clarification came on 22 July, when the governing body rejected suggestions that the tournament would be relocated.
At that time, CAF insisted that preparations were progressing “in accordance with the established schedule”. The latest inspection in Tanzania therefore represents continued oversight rather than an official announcement that the hosts have lost the right to stage the tournament.
The visits to Kenya and Tanzania reflect CAF’s ongoing efforts to assess readiness across the three countries before the Africa Cup of Nations begins. Uganda is also part of the hosting agreement, with the inspection process covering the wider organisation, infrastructure and logistical coordination needed for the event.
For now, the Pamoja trio remains in place as host of the 2027 tournament, while CAF continues to apply pressure and monitor whether the required work can be completed on time.