Is East Africa ready for AFCON 2027?

The Pamoja 2027 dream is no longer a distant whisper, it is a thundering reality approaching at breakneck speed. 

As Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania prepare to co-host the 36th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the spotlight has shifted from the boardroom to the construction site. 

For Uganda, this is more than a tournament, it is a test of our national character and our ability to build a world-class Standard.

At the heart of any successful AFCON are the facilities. While the shimmering renders of the Hoima City Stadium and the massive renovations at Namboole capture the headlines, the real backbone of a continental showpiece lies in the training facilities. 

To host 24 of Africa’s elite teams, you do not just need three big stages, you need dozens of backstages.

This is where projects like the Kadiba Ground in Mengo become critical.

Currently, the question echoing in sports circles is, Is it enough? Kadiba, envisioned as a state-of-the-art training hub, represents the micro-planning required for success. 

However, a training facility is not just a pitch, it requires elite-level drainage, medical rooms, and secure access that mirrors the match-day environment. 

Morocco, our predecessor in hosting excellence, taught us that everything lies in the detail. 

The success of the tournament was built on organizational, economic , media and popular enthusiasm ensuring all participants enjoyed every bit the tournament. 

Additionally, the beauty of our stadiums will be hollow if the Uganda Cranes are not prepared to compete at the highest level. 

To avoid being hosts who exit in the group stages, the Cranes need a radical shift in preparation. 

We must move away from the mercenary culture, the habit of calling up players just because they have a grandmother or Aunt in Uganda or based on past glory rather than current form and commitment. 

We need a rigorous, data-driven scouting system that identifies hungry talent both locally and in the diaspora.

Crucially, the Cranes need competitive friendlies. Playing against the continent's giants like the Senegal and Morocco now, rather than waiting for 2027, is the only way to build the Elite Mentality required for a deep run. 

This is not just a job for the Federation, it requires total Government and stakeholder involvement. 

From the Ministry of Tourism marketing our Pearl of Africa beauty to private sponsors fueling the team’s logistics, everyone must be a Navigator.

AFCON 2027 is our Grandstand moment. If we invest in our players with the same intensity we invest in our concrete, East Africa will be the place to come to not just to host a tournament but to visit.