Kenya’s co-hosting bid for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) alongside Uganda and Tanzania is facing a major challenge due to delays in paying the Ksh1.6 billion hosting fee to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
This would mark the first time the East African region is hosting the biennial tournament. Initially scheduled for February, the event was postponed after CAF’s technical experts noted that the three countries’ infrastructure was not yet up to standard.
While Kenya’s main host stadiums—Nyayo and Kasarani—were earmarked for renovation, only Nyayo has been completed, with Kasarani still undergoing refurbishment. Training grounds also remain a concern, as Ulinzi Sports Complex and Police Sacco venues are ready, but Kasarani Annex and Kirigiti grounds are still incomplete.
The government, however, has assured that all facilities will be ready before the tournament kicks off in August.
As the country races to complete the necessary infrastructure, financial constraints have emerged as a major hurdle.
According to a report from the 2024/25 Supplementary Estimates, submitted by the State Department of Sports to the National Assembly’s Committee on Sports and Culture, budget limitations have delayed the payment of the USD 13 million (Ksh1.6 billion) hosting fee.
The ongoing stadium renovations and construction of the Talanta Sports City—a new 60,000-seater stadium along Ngong Road—have significantly depleted resources within the State Department for Sports. Officials are now urging the government to facilitate the payment to CAF to ensure Kenya does not lose its hosting rights.
“The government is required to pay $13 million, approximately Ksh1.682 billion, for hosting rights to CAF. The tight fiscal space for the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund (SASDF) is due to the prioritization of CHAN and AFCON infrastructure development, including the renovations of Kasarani, Nyayo, and Kipchoge Keino stadiums.
“In this regard, we request the committee to prioritize the hosting rights payment,” reads part of the report.
The State Department for Sports has also requested an additional Ksh100 million to support preparations for CHAN 2024 and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
Meanwhile, Kenya has been placed in Group A of the tournament, which has been termed the “group of death,” alongside Morocco, DR Congo, Angola, and Zambia.
Other groups include:
- Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.
- Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, and two qualifiers.
- Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, and Nigeria.
The government now faces pressure to settle the hosting fee and complete stadium renovations in time to ensure the successful co-hosting of CHAN 2024.
