CAF president Motsepe confirms visit to Kenya ahead of 2027 AFCON
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has confirmed a planned visit to Kenya to assess preparations for AFCON 2027.
Kenya is set to co-host the continental championship alongside Uganda and Tanzania under the joint Pamoja bid.
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In an interview on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Cairo, the CAF President disclosed that the visit is part of a broader effort to monitor tournament progress.
He highlighted his positive outlook on the East African region ahead of the high-stakes showpiece, which will mark a historic first for the East African region.
This edition will be the final one held under the two-year cycle, as CAF shifts the tournament to a four-year cycle starting after 2028.
“I will be visiting Kenya in May,” Motsepe stated. “Although I had not initially planned to, there will be a heads-of-state meeting there, and I intend to use my strong ties with the leaders and people I have known for years. I will inspect the stadium infrastructure in Kenya for the competition that will take place next year,” he stated.
His visit could happen during the “Africa Forward: Africa-France Innovation and Growth Summit” set to be held in Nairobi on May 11th and 12th. The summit will bring together heads of state and governments from Africa and France, with President Emmanuel Macron expected to attend.
WAFCON status
Motsepe also touched on a wide range of topics, explaining the CAF positions. He confirmed that the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), initially scheduled for March 2026, will feature an improved prize pool.
“The WAFCON will be hosted in Morocco, and we hope to increase the prize money to make it more attractive,” he noted.
He further defended CAF’s decision to frequently award competitions to Morocco, stating the country consistently steps up when called upon.
“We want African tournaments to be hosted across different regions to give every member state a chance. However, CAF seeks support wherever possible, and Morocco is usually the country that comes forward to assist,” he said.
Stripping Senegal’s title
Addressing the controversial decision to strip Senegal of the 2026 AFCON title, Motsepe urged respect for the verdicts reached by CAF’s quasi-judicial bodies.
“We are committed to the decisions taken by our judicial organs. As a football spectator, I might personally disagree with some rulings, but as CAF president, I have a duty to ensure the independence of our bodies is adhered to. The decisions regarding Morocco and Senegal were made by bodies consisting of the most respected judges in Africa,” he explained.
To enforce these regulations and manage the ongoing controversy, Motsepe added that he will visit both Morocco and Senegal in the coming weeks to meet with their respective governments and football leadership to emphasise CAF’s commitment to cooperation and transparency.
