Tanzania/Uganda: Billions Pour Into Stadia - How EAC Nations are Investing for AFCON

The Africa Cup of Nations, or AFCON, is Africa’s major men’s national football tournament. In 2027, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will host it together. Co-hosting spreads the responsibility for venues, transport and tournament operations across three neighboring countries.

The partnership has triggered major stadium investment. Tanzania is preparing venues in Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Kenya and Uganda are also building or upgrading facilities in Nairobi, Hoima, Lira and Kampala. These projects are designed to meet international football requirements, including CAF Category Four standards.

The tournament is therefore more than a football event. The investments are expected to strengthen East Africa’s capacity to host future competitions. They are also intended to leave lasting facilities for football development, sports tourism, entertainment and commercial activity after AFCON 2027 ends.

AFCON 2027 infrastructure combines new construction with rehabilitation of established stadiums. New venues are planned for Arusha, Zanzibar, Nairobi, Hoima and Lira. Existing national facilities in Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Kampala are also being upgraded.

Tanzania’s principal venues are the 32,500-seat Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium in Arusha, the 60,000-capacity Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, and the approximately 36,500-seat Fumba Stadium in Zanzibar. Together, their stated capacities total about 129,000 spectators.

The projects cover more than seating. They include playing surfaces, floodlighting, safety systems, hospitality areas, media facilities, emergency power and spectator services. Fumba also includes two outdoor football grounds, each seating 5,000 people, for training and other sporting activities.

Tanzania’s principal AFCON stadium investments are large and varied. The Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium in Arusha is priced at 338.54 billion shillings. Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium’s disclosed rehabilitation programme is about 39 billion shillings. Fumba Stadium in Zanzibar is expected to cost about 400 billion shillings. Together, those stated amounts equal approximately 777.54 billion shillings.

The investments cover modern sports complexes, not just playing fields. Arusha includes spectator seating, VIP and hospitality facilities, players’ and officials’ areas, technical installations, roofing and facade systems. Dar es Salaam’s work includes seats, drainage, floodlighting, dressing rooms, media areas and backup power.

Fumba adds covered seating, supporting infrastructure and two 5,000-seat outdoor football grounds. Access roads are also being improved. These features support tournament matches, training, spectator movement and wider sporting or commercial uses.

The Arusha stadium’s original budget was prepared in 2021, before Tanzania became an AFCON 2027 co-host. At that stage, the design followed general stadium requirements. The initial contract estimate was 187 billion Tanzanian shillings.

After Tanzania secured hosting rights with Kenya and Uganda, the project scope changed. Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa said the stadium needed substantial improvements to meet CAF Category Four standards. These changes included stronger technical, operational and competition requirements. The revised contract value became 338.54 billion shillings, an 81 percent increase.

The expanded design now includes a reinforced-concrete frame, a large steel roof and facade system, and about 7,762 tonnes of roof steel. It also includes improved seating, hospitality, player and official facilities, floodlighting, safety systems, media facilities and emergency power. The higher cost reflects this broader specification.

CAF Category Four standards are the highest-level venue requirements referenced in the article for hosting top-level international matches. CAF is the Confederation of African Football, which governs the continent’s major football competitions. The standards ensure that stadiums can operate safely and professionally during demanding events.

The article identifies several requirements. They include improved playing surfaces, floodlighting, safety systems, media facilities and emergency power. Venues also need suitable spectator seating, hospitality spaces, players’ and officials’ facilities, and technical installations. These systems support match operations as well as spectators, teams, officials and broadcasters.

Arusha’s stadium was redesigned to meet these standards after Tanzania became an AFCON 2027 co-host. Dar es Salaam’s Benjamin Mkapa rehabilitation also addresses technical and operational needs. Meeting the requirements allows the venues to host AFCON matches and strengthens the region’s capacity for future international competitions.

The main consequence could be a stronger, more versatile sports infrastructure network across Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. The countries are not building only temporary tournament venues. They are modernising facilities intended to serve international football and other major events for years.

For example, Fumba Stadium forms part of a wider sports complex with two additional 5,000-seat football grounds. Benjamin Mkapa is receiving upgrades to its surface, drainage, floodlighting, hospitality areas, media spaces and backup power. These features can support matches, training, entertainment and other gatherings.

The article expects the investments to strengthen East Africa’s ability to host major sporting events. It also links them to football development, sports tourism and commercial activities. Their lasting value will depend on continued use, but the planned facilities are designed to serve beyond the 2027 tournament.

A major tournament stadium becomes long-term infrastructure when its design supports regular use after the competition. It needs more than a pitch and seats. Training grounds, hospitality areas, media facilities, safe spectator movement, reliable power and good access can support many kinds of events.

Fumba provides a clear example. Its wider sports complex includes a 36,500-seat stadium and two outdoor football grounds, each seating 5,000 people. Access roads and other supporting infrastructure are also being improved. Those elements can serve tournament matches, training, other sports and visitor movement.

The article links the investments with football development, sports tourism and commercial activity. Modern venues can also host entertainment and other major gatherings. The source does not describe specific community programmes, but regular training, sporting use and events could make the facilities valuable local assets beyond AFCON 2027.