Why Kenya is open to postponement of AFCON to 2028
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 13.02.26. | 09:32
Despite these concerns, CAF President Patrice Motsepe has reaffirmed confidence that the 2027 tournament will proceed as scheduled
Kenya’s Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Chairperson Nicholas Musonye has suggested that the 2027 CAF African Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya is set to co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda, could ideally be postponed owing to security concerns surrounding the country’s impending general elections.
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Musonye’s remarks come in the wake of a report published on Wednesday, 11 February, by The Guardian, a British newspaper, which indicated that the tournament could face postponement amid concerns that the three East African host nations may not yet be fully prepared to stage Africa’s premier football spectacle.
However, speaking to AFP, the Kenyan LOC chair emphasized that shifting the tournament to 2028 would better suit Kenya’s national calendar, particularly as the country prepares for general elections scheduled for August 2027.
“We’ve seen the volatile atmosphere around elections in Tanzania, Uganda, and even in Kenya. Security would not be guaranteed for such a big competition as the African Cup of Nations,” Musonye stated.
His sentiments are rooted in recent history. Tanzania experienced post-election unrest in October 2025, while Uganda witnessed political tensions following its January 2026 elections.
Kenya’s own electoral history has also been marred by violence, most notably in 2007 and 2017, episodes that left lasting scars on the nation’s social and political fabric.
Hosting a tournament of AFCON’s magnitude demands not only world-class infrastructure but also an atmosphere of stability, seamless logistics, and guaranteed security for teams, officials, and fans travelling from across the continent and beyond.
Musonye’s caution, therefore, stems from a broader concern: whether the region can simultaneously manage a high-stakes electoral process and Africa’s flagship football tournament.
Despite these concerns, CAF President Patrice Motsepe has reaffirmed confidence that the 2027 tournament will proceed as scheduled.
Motsepe noted that postponement may not be feasible, especially considering that the subsequent edition is already earmarked for 2028.
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CAF recently adopted a revised competition calendar for its biennial tournament, transitioning AFCON to a four-year cycle beginning in 2028 in order to align the tournament with other major continental competitions such as the UEFA European Championship and Copa América.
Any alteration to the 2027 schedule would therefore have significant structural implications for the continental football calendar.
Meanwhile, Morocco, South Africa, Botswana, and Ethiopia have officially launched bids to host the 2028 edition, intensifying the strategic importance of CAF’s long-term scheduling framework.
An inspection team from the Confederation of African Football is currently in Tanzania, where officials are expected to hold key deliberations on Friday, 13 February, regarding preparations for the 2027 showpiece.
The outcome of these assessments could prove pivotal in shaping CAF’s final stance on the matter.