WeeklySA_AdminTOGETHER: With exactly one year to go before the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 kicks off, hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are preparing to stage a historic tournament that promises to unite the continent, boost regional development and showcase East Africa to billions of viewers worldwide…
By WSAM Sports Correspondent
JOHANNESBURG — The countdown to Africa’s biggest football spectacle has officially begun, with exactly one year remaining before the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 kicks off in East Africa on June 19 2027.
For the first time in the tournament’s history, three nations — Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda — will jointly host the continent’s premier football competition under the unifying theme “Pamoja”, the Swahili word for “Together.”
The month-long tournament, which concludes on July 17, 2027, is expected to attract more than 1.5 million fans across the three countries while reaching a global television audience exceeding 3.2 billion viewers. CAF is still consulting with the three host governments and local organising committees on the venues for the opening match, final draw and championship final.
We have to give Africa the best show. I want Africa and the world
to say East Africa delivered an exceptional tournament… — Denis Onyango
The tournament marks a historic return of AFCON to East Africa for the first time since 1976 and represents a landmark moment for African football.
The region’s confidence has been strengthened by the successful staging of the recent TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), which showcased the hosts’ ability to organise a major continental event and provided a glimpse of what supporters can expect in 2027. goalkeeper Denis Onyango, who believes AFCON 2027 will leave a lasting legacy that extends far beyond football.
“Hosting the biggest football show on the continent will provide more opportunities for football in Uganda to develop,” Onyango said. “It will also help expose more talent to some of the biggest leagues in the world.”
The veteran goalkeeper believes the benefits will be felt across the region through improved infrastructure, new stadiums, training facilities and broader investment in sport. He also highlighted the economic opportunities that accompany major sporting events, including tourism growth, hospitality expansion and opportunities for small businesses.
“Uganda as a country will also see more development, with new hotels and roads being constructed. Small businesses will benefit from tourists coming to watch the tournament,” Onyango said. He added that AFCON would provide an ideal platform to showcase East Africa’s rich cultures, hospitality and tourism attractions to the world.
The road to qualification is already underway following the AFCON 2027 qualifying draw held in Cairo in May. Forty-eight nations learned their routes to the finals, with the qualification campaign scheduled across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027.
Matchdays 1 & 2: September 21 – 6 October 2026
Matchdays 3 & 4: November 9 – 17 2026
Matchdays 5 & 6: 22 – 30 March 2027
African football heavyweights including Morocco, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa and DR Congo will battle for places at the tournament.
While hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania automatically qualify, they will still participate in the qualifying competition, with only one additional nation advancing from each of their groups.
For CAF, the tournament represents another step in the continued growth of African football’s flagship competition. Recent editions in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco have attracted record audiences and elevated AFCON’s global profile, cementing its place among the world’s most-watched sporting events.
As preparations intensify over the next 12 months, Onyango believes East Africa has both the responsibility and opportunity to set a new standard for future hosts.
“We have to give Africa the best show,” he said. “This is the first time three countries are hosting AFCON, and we must be ready not only to match what previous host countries have done, but to do even better.”
With the spirit of Pamoja at its heart, AFCON 2027 promises to be more than a football tournament — it is poised to become a celebration of African unity, ambition and progress, bringing the continent together in East Africa for what could be one of the most memorable editions in the competition’s history.
