May 17 – Kenyan president William Ruto has said he will support a joint bid with neighbours Uganda and Tanzania to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in a joint bid.
Announcing that the three East African countries would submit a joint bid, he said that they were confident that it would be endorsed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). None of the nations have hosted an AFCON before which has only ever been hosted in East Africa once, in its first edition in 1957 in Sudan.
“Next Wednesday, we should submit our candidacy for CAN 2027 as a common ticket for East Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and I think we will get it,” said Ruto.
“I promised Kenyans to focus on sports if elected and said we would try to organize the AFCON. We are launching our bid on Wednesday, we have huge talent in Kenya and that’s why I want to improve everything.
“I asked the sports director to come up with a master plan. You will see a big difference in the country in terms of infrastructure, we are doing something for our stadiums, we will invest in infrastructure, invest in training and invest in the positive profiling of sports.”
Earlier this year FIFA suspended Kenya for alleged government interference in the business of the national federation. That suspension has now been lifted.
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