Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-10 21:00:00
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania can draw valuable lessons from how Cote d’Ivoire has successfully organized the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. The 24-team tournament, which concludes today with the final match between host nation Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria at Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, is a testament to what countries can achieve with proper planning, coordination, resource allocation, and sound leadership.
Despite being moved from its original date of between June and July to January 13 – February 11 last year to avoid disruptions caused by the rainy season in Cote d’Ivoire, the tournament has been worth the wait. Cote d’Ivoire has shown the world that Africa is capable of organizing and staging international tournaments in world-class facilities.
The country invested over Sh154 billion ($1 billion) in roads, stadiums, hospitals, and other infrastructure related to the hosting of Africa’s premier national football tournament, hosting the tournament in six venues spread across five cities. All the stadiums were world-class. On the pitch, the country performed admirably, matching the solid investment in infrastructure for the tournament with good results on the field, growing from a sluggish start to qualify for the final.
Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, which won hosting rights for the 2027 tournament in a joint ‘Pamoja Bid’ on September 27 last year, should learn from Cote d’Ivoire’s success to ensure a successful competition when the biannual tournament returns to the region for the first time since Ethiopia hosted it in 1976.
Morocco, which will host the 2025 Afcon, already has ready facilities. Locally, time is running out for Kenya in its preparations to co-host the 2027 Afcon. Kenya must prepare the requisite infrastructure for the tournament to avoid a last-minute rush and spare citizens the embarrassment of previous failures to host international football tournaments.
Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania need to prioritize proper planning, coordination, and resource allocation to ensure that they are well-prepared for the 2027 Afcon. The success of Cote d’Ivoire in hosting the 2023 tournament serves as a model for these countries in creating a blueprint for a successful and memorable tournament. With the right leadership and vision, the 2027 Afcon has the potential to be a showcase of African football and a source of pride for the entire region.
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