Sports Ministry Seeks Sh21B For AFCON Hosting Rights
The State Department for Sports is requesting Sh21.3 billion to cover hosting rights for the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), alongside various infrastructure and development projects tied to the events.
According to documents presented to the Parliamentary Sports and Culture Committee, chaired by Webuye West MP Daniel Wanyama, Kenya is required to pay Sh5.6 billion to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for hosting rights.
This amount includes Sh3.9 billion for AFCON and Sh1.7 billion for CHAN. An additional Sh586.4 million is earmarked for programmes, policies, and administrative costs, while Sh15.12 billion is allocated for consultancy services, construction, and renovations of stadiums and related facilities.
Out of the Sh586.4 million set aside for operational expenses, Sh347.4 million is allocated for hosting international sports competitions, sports exchange programmes, compliance monitoring, and policy reviews. The Kenya Academy of Sports requires Sh200 million to implement grassroots talent development, train sports personnel, and conduct research on sports development. Additionally, Sh39 million is set aside for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya to support anti-doping education, testing, and results management.
Despite these allocations, the State Department for Sports has raised concerns that it was only given Sh17.1 billion in the 2025/2026 development budget, far below the required Sh59.4 billion.
Kenya, along with Uganda and Tanzania, secured the rights to host AFCON 2027 in September 2023. This marks the first time in history that three nations will jointly host the prestigious tournament. The region last hosted a major CAF event more than 40 years ago, making both CHAN 2025 and AFCON 2027 historic milestones for East African football.
A report submitted to Parliament states that the Sh5.6 billion earmarked for CAF is a mandatory hosting rights payment. The government is also overseeing 30 sports development projects under the Stadia, Arts, and Social Development Fund (SASDF), including stadium construction, renovations, and the establishment of regional sports academies.
The tournaments are expected to generate significant economic benefits, particularly in tourism, cultural exchange, and job creation. Thousands of service providers and vendors, including hoteliers, taxi operators, and advertising agencies, are set to benefit from the influx of visitors. The government anticipates the need for at least 3,000 volunteers, team guides, and security personnel during the events.
CAF, on the other hand, will retain full commercial rights to the tournaments, including ticketing, broadcast revenue, merchandising, and sponsorship deals. This follows CAF’s recent decision to postpone CHAN 2025 from February to August to allow host nations more time to upgrade their facilities to meet international standards.
The Sh15.12 billion budget for development projects is primarily directed toward upgrading stadiums and training facilities. Key allocations include Sh2.5 billion for refurbishing Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, and Sh3.5 billion for improvements at Kipchoge Keino Stadium. Nyayo National Stadium will receive Sh3 billion for renovations, while an additional Sh1.758 billion is set aside for upgrades at Kasarani International Sports Stadium.
Other key infrastructure projects include the development of Kipchoge Keino training grounds at Sh1.192 billion, stadium consultancy services for Kasarani and Kipchoge Keino at Sh1.057 billion, and the automation and digitization of the Sports Registrar system at Sh84.63 million.
Additional funds have been allocated for training grounds, including Sh606.48 million for the refurbishment of the Kasarani Annex, Sh290 million for the Police Sacco training grounds for Nyayo National Stadium, and Sh87.88 million for Ulinzi training ground. Maintenance of training facilities for both CHAN 2025 and AFCON 2027 is budgeted at Sh108.26 million.