CAF experts start stadium inspections in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda to ensure readiness for AFCON 2027 matches and training facilities
A team of technical experts from the Confederation of African Football has begun inspections of stadiums and training facilities in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, branded PAMOJA 2027.
The three East African nations won the hosting rights after a joint bid by Nigeria and Benin Republic was rejected.
The 2027 edition will be the last under CAF’s biennial schedule, with the tournament moving to a four-year cycle from 2028.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe is scheduled to visit Tanzania on Friday as part of the inspection tour, which will continue until February 17.
The delegation is reviewing venues for pitch quality, safety and security standards, and overall infrastructure readiness.
In Tanzania, the experts are visiting Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Samia Suluhu Stadium in Arusha, and Zanzibar’s Amaan Stadium and Fumba Stadium.
In Kenya, the inspections cover Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium, Nyayo Stadium and Talanta Sports Stadium, along with training facilities at Ulinzi Sports Complex and the Kenya Academy of Sports.
In Uganda, Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Entebbe’s facilities, and Hoima City Stadium are under review.
CAF described the inspections as part of a broader strategy to elevate football standards across the continent, ensuring world-class infrastructure, operations, and venue management for the tournament.
The confederation also highlighted its commitment to building a “stronger and more self-sustaining football ecosystem” through cooperation with governments and local organising committees.
The inspections are a crucial step as host nations intensify preparations for AFCON 2027, ensuring that both players and fans experience a tournament that meets international standards.
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.