Kenya’s AFCON 2027 plans face a setback after KSh1.1B was cut from the Sports Department budget.
Kenya’s promise to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is now facing serious uncertainty after a major reduction in funding to the State Department for Sports. Parliament this week approved new budget estimates that leave out a critical payment needed to retain the country’s hosting status.
Billions Slashed from Sports Department
The Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) has cut KSh1.1 billion from the sports docket’s earlier proposal, dropping its budget from KSh18.59 billion to KSh17.46 billion. Most notably, the revised budget fails to include KSh3.9 billion meant for Kenya’s co-hosting rights fee for AFCON 2027.
Kenya, together with Tanzania and Uganda, was awarded the rights to stage the 36th edition of AFCON. But with the KSh3.9B hosting fee due in April 2026, this financial oversight now puts Kenya’s role in the tournament in jeopardy.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya had previously called on Parliament to urgently allocate the funds, stressing that failure to do so could see Kenya violate its agreement with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“The hosting agreements have been drafted and require signing,” read a Ministry brief dated May 19, 2025.
Despite the matter being highlighted by the Committee on Sports and Culture as a serious threat to Kenya’s AFCON hosting future, the BAC declined to offer any financial adjustment to address it. This has left the Ministry of Sports without the critical budget support needed to move forward with hosting plans.
If the hosting fee isn’t paid in time, Kenya could lose its place as a co-host for the prestigious football event, damaging its international reputation and denying local fans the opportunity to witness top-tier continental football at home. The government now faces mounting pressure to resolve the shortfall before it’s too late.
