Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda handed 2027 Afcon hosting rights

• 2027 Afcon hosts have been confirmed
• Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will stage the tournament
• It's the first time for three countries to jointly host Afcon

WHAT HAPPENED? The East African joint bid between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda has been awarded hosting rights for the 2027 Afcon tournament.

The East Africans beat other bids by Senegal and Botswana.

Namibia withdrew from running to host the tournament after initially expressing interest to stage Afcon together with Botswana.

Algeria, Zambia and Burkina Faso abandoned their bids, leaving the East African trio to be handed the hosting rights.

WHAT WAS SAID: “The work begins now, winning the bid is the first step," said Federation of Kenyan Football president Nick Mwendwa as per The Nation.

"We fought through to win and be on top of the pile but it is not to be celebrated, the work begins now.

"Everybody has to pull together and get a tournament going so we don't lose it like we have done before. Let's bring Pamoja home."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: It is the first time for three countries to jointly host Afcon. Previously, Nigeria and Ghana as well as Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have joined hands in organising Afcon.

Now, the tournament goes to East Africa where only Ethiopia and Sudan have previously hosted Afcon.

It is to be seen if Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will successfully stage the continental tournament with Kenya having previously had the hosting rights for the African Nations Championship being withdrawn for not being ready.

WHAT NEXT? For now, Bafana Bafana and other countries focus is on the 2023 Afcon finals to be hosted by Ivory Coast in January and Bafana Bafana have qualified for the continental competition.

After that, Morocco will organise Afcon in 2025 before the East Africans get their turn to show what they can do with the elite continental competition.