The regional bid will be judged against a clear benchmark: whether stadium projects can be completed, tested and operated at tournament level.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe has reportedly acknowledged challenges around the upcoming tournament while maintaining confidence in the three host nations. That balance reflects the main issue facing the project: political commitment is visible, but construction and venue operations must now meet the deadline.
A three-country tournament offers wider regional reach, but it also creates more points of failure. Transport, training bases, security, ticketing and match scheduling will require a shared operating structure rather than separate national plans.
Political backing will matter because stadium construction and upgrades often depend on government funding and fast administrative decisions. The report says East Africa’s heads of state are expected to play an important role in sustaining that support.
For CAF, the future bidding process also marks a shift in tournament planning. The Cup of Nations is expected to move to a quadrennial schedule from 2028, making each edition a larger, more carefully staged project.
The next storyline will be whether Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda can turn assurances into completed venues and coordinated operations. At the same time, interested bidders for 2028, 2032 and 2036 will begin defining the infrastructure and political case needed to win CAF’s approval.