By 
The sports fraternity converged at the 10th edition of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) this week with a unified message: the 2027 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be far more than a football tournament. It is being viewed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase Uganda and the wider East African region to the world.
The 2027 tournament will mark the first-ever AFCON to be co-hosted by three East African nations (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) in what is expected to be a historic milestone for both African football and regional tourism. The final list of the 24 qualified teams is expected to be confirmed in September 2026.
Speaking at POATE, Hassan El Kamah highlighted the scale of the opportunity awaiting the host nations.
“Imagine three billion television viewers around the world seeing your brand during AFCON matches,” El Kamah said. “This is the power of AFCON, an incredible platform for investment and tourism growth in Uganda.”
Hassan El Kamah, the Commercial Director of Confederation of African Football
El Kamah noted that AFCON has evolved into one of Africa’s biggest economic and commercial platforms, with the 2027 edition projected to generate more than USD 2 billion in combined economic impact across the three host countries.
He pointed to the success of the 2025 tournament in Morocco, where the final at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium attracted 66,526 spectators while beIN Sports recorded over 97 million cumulative viewers during the competition.
“Our President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, always says it will be the best AFCON in history,” El Kamah added. “Hosting three beautiful countries like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania is something special.”
He also challenged Uganda’s private sector, including airlines, hotels, tour operators and entertainment providers, to begin preparations immediately in order to fully capitalize on the tournament.
“The window to build something worth visiting is real,” he said. “But it won’t stay open forever.”
With qualification announcements expected in September 2026, stakeholders in hospitality, transport, entertainment and infrastructure have been urged to fast-track visitor-ready experiences ahead of the expected influx of fans and media attention.
Dr. Taibu Azar captured the national mood while addressing delegates at the expo.
“Football has always been Uganda’s heartbeat,” she said. “AFCON 2027 gives us the greatest stage we have ever had to show the world who we are, not only as a football nation, but as a destination.”
“When those fans arrive, they will find a country that is warm, beautiful and unlike anywhere else on the continent. We are ready, and we are excited,” she added.
Dr. Azar further revealed that preparations are already underway between the Federation of Uganda Football Associations and the Uganda Tourism Board to diversify Uganda’s tourism product beyond wildlife.
“We have been working with Uganda Tourism Board since last year to identify ways we can diversify our product beyond wildlife and use this tournament to drive visibility and attract investments into music, hospitality, culture and many others,” she explained.
Juliana Kagwa described AFCON 2027 as “Uganda’s single biggest tourism marketing opportunity in a generation.”
According to Kagwa, the strategy is to ensure visiting fans experience more than football by connecting them to attractions such as gorilla trekking, the Source of the Nile, cultural experiences in Kampala and Uganda’s broader adventure tourism offerings.
“They come for the game, they stay for the Pearl of Africa,” Kagwa said, summarizing the board’s vision of converting football supporters into long-stay tourists.
The Uganda Tourism Board also confirmed plans to secure destination partner marketing rights linked to AFCON 2027 in a bid to position Destination Uganda prominently on the global stage.
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