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Beyond football: How Kenya plans to leverage AFCON 2027 to drive sports tourism
15th September, 2026 03:36 PM
The Kenyan government has called on the private sector to take advantage of the commercial opportunities expected to arise from the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), saying investments made around the tournament should continue generating benefits long after the continental football showpiece.
Principal Secretary in the State Department for Sports Elijah Mwangi said AFCON 2027, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, presents a rare opportunity for businesses to expand their operations while helping build a sustainable sports economy in the region.
Speaking in Nairobi during the official opening of the Kenya-Tanzania-Uganda AFCON 2027 Commercial Roadshow on Monday, September 14, 2026, Mwangi urged companies to look beyond conventional sponsorship arrangements and develop products and services that can remain viable after the tournament.
“We are excited that this opportunity has come to Kenya. The corporate actors should not simply focus on sponsorship in the traditional sense of the word. They have the chance to develop products and services that will live beyond the AFCON event,” he said.
The PS identified transport, banking, financial services, hospitality and merchandise as some of the sectors that could benefit from increased economic activity as millions of people travel across the three host countries.
He said transport companies could play a key role in facilitating cross-border movement of people, goods and services, while financial institutions could use the tournament to expand their services beyond Kenya.
Companies dealing in merchandise, meanwhile, are expected to benefit from increased consumer demand and greater exposure to international audiences.
The government is also banking on private sector participation to help establish an economic ecosystem around AFCON 2027 as preparations for the tournament gather pace.
The roadshow brought together senior officials from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), the Local Organising Committee and representatives of major companies.
CAF Commercial Director Hassan El Kamah said Kenya’s participation in the joint hosting arrangement could give local companies access to new markets across Africa and beyond.
“This is the first AFCON being co-hosted by the three East Africa Nations. We need to see the commercial opportunities around it and become part of this journey,” he said.
El Kamah said recent AFCON tournaments had demonstrated the growing commercial potential of the competition, with expectations that the 2027 edition could generate even greater economic activity.
The government cited figures from the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, which it said generated more than $2 billion through activities including ticket sales, merchandise, sponsorships and broadcasting.
The tournament also attracted about 1.5 million spectators to stadiums, while more than three million visitors were reported to have entered the country through activities associated with the competition.
Kenya hopes to replicate and build on those gains when it hosts matches alongside Tanzania and Uganda next year.
Mwangi said the government was working to create a favourable environment for sports-related investment and pointed to provisions in the Sports Act that provide tax rebates for companies supporting sports development.
“There is a provision for tax rebates for companies that have demonstrated they supported sports’ development. This is provided for in law,” he said.
Beyond the immediate commercial gains, the government expects AFCON 2027 to demonstrate Kenya’s ability to host major international sporting events.
Ongoing development of modern stadiums, improvements to transport infrastructure and expansion of hospitality facilities are expected to strengthen the country’s case as a destination for future global sporting competitions.
Local Organising Committee Chair Nicholas Musonye said greater involvement of businesses would be critical to transforming AFCON 2027 into an investment opportunity rather than treating it solely as a football competition.
He said the participation of corporate players could help turn the tournament into a major contributor to Kenya’s broader economic and national development agenda.
FKF’s stand
On behalf of Football Kenya Federation, FKF President Hussein Mohammed said:
”With thousands of visitors expected for the tournament, Kenya stands to benefit immensely by showcasing our rich culture, diversity, and hospitality, while positioning herself as a premier global sports tourism destination under the Magical Kenya brand.
We are fully committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that Pamoja AFCON 2027 delivers a lasting economic and tourism legacy beyond the pitch.” He said.
With AFCON 2027 scheduled for June 2027, the government is now seeking to deepen private sector participation and ensure the tournament leaves behind a stronger commercial and sporting foundation for Kenya and the wider East African region.
