AFCON Local Organising Committee chairman Nicholas Musonye has raised the possibility of Kenya pushing the Africa Cup of Nations from 2027 to 2028, citing security concerns linked to the country’s general elections, which fall in the same year.
Speaking amid growing speculation about a potential postponement, Musonye warned that hosting Africa’s biggest football tournament during an election cycle could pose serious risks, particularly around security and logistics.
“We’ve seen the volatile atmosphere around elections in Tanzania, Uganda and even Kenya,” Musonye told Agence France-Presse. “Security would not be guaranteed for such a big competition as the Africa Cup of Nations.”
Kenya is scheduled to co-host the 2027 AFCON alongside Uganda and Tanzania under the East African Pamoja bid. However, with elections expected to dominate the political and security landscape, Musonye suggested that shifting the tournament to 2028 could offer a more stable and secure environment for fans, teams and officials from the Confederation of African Football.
While no formal request has yet been submitted to CAF, Musonye’s remarks are the clearest indication so far that Kenya is cautiously weighing its options, balancing continental ambition against domestic realities.
Bottom line: AFCON remains firmly on East Africa’s horizon, but the collision between football fever and election-year politics may yet force a rethink of the calendar.
