NAIROBI, Kenya, March 31, 2026 – After a nail-biting few weeks, Kenyan football fans can now exhale a huge sigh of relief after the Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya confirmed the government has paid the hosting fee for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
In a statement, Mvurya said the Ksh 3.9 billion hosting fee was paid in good time, ahead of the March 30 deadline set by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
“In fulfilment of our commitments, the Government has remitted the requisite
USD 30 million (Ksh 3.9 billion) hosting fee to CAF, reaffirming Kenya’s credibility, readiness, and unwavering commitment to delivering a successful continental
tournament,” the CS said.
The news will resuscitate hopes that had been dwindling about Kenya’s readiness to host the continental showpiece.
Close to a fortnight ago, Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi had left mouths agape after revealing that Kenya had yet to pay the mandatory fee to co-host the tournament – alongside East African neighbours Uganda and Tanzania.
While appearing before the National Assembly committee on sports, Mwangi further revealed that works at the Kasarani and Nyayo stadia have stalled due to non-payment of the monies owed to the contractor.
Even Mvurya’s assurance in the past week that the ministry was working closely with the National Treasury and Parliament to avail the funds was not enough to assuage concerns.
In his latest statement, the CS has further revealed a reorganisation of the local organising committee (LOC) for the competition.
“The Government has constituted a restructured Multi-Agency Local
Organizing Committee, bringing together key players from both the public
and private sectors across all critical areas of delivery,” he said.
Mvurya added: “This multi-sectoral approach is deliberate, ensuring that our institutional capacity is fully aligned with the scale, complexity, and urgency of preparations required to host a tournament of AFCON’s magnitude.”
As pertains to the venues and other facilities, Mvurya assured that the government will redouble its efforts while paying attention to the issues raised by Caf inspectors in their last visit to the country.
“Following the CAF inspection report, we will be embarking on accelerated
implementation of all infrastructure and operational compliance
requirements. These include the fast-tracked construction and upgrading of
match venues, training facilities, transport and logistics systems, as well as
safety, security, and broadcast standards,” the CS said.
He added: “This is a routine but critical process in the hosting cycle, and Kenya is addressing each recommendation with precision, urgency, and accountability.
A meeting among the three co-hosts has been scheduled for next month to establish a harmonized framework to enhance ease of movement in the region.
