CAF Inspects Eldoret Stadium for AFCON 2027
Listen to the story
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has begun a new assessment of Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret. This is part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 tournament. Kenya is set to co-host the tournament along with two other East African countries.
CAF regularly visits proposed venues before major tournaments to check whether stadiums meet the required standards. Eldoret is one of several Kenyan cities being considered for hosting matches during AFCON 2027.
Separately, there has been an update on the cost of Talanta Sports City, another major sports project in Kenya. The budget for the project has risen sharply, from an initial Sh35 billion to Sh45.85 billion. Alongside this increase, the project also carries a tax bill of Sh10 billion, a detail that has drawn criticism from observers who see it as ironic given the project's public funding.
In related news, the Kenyan government has issued an update on the construction progress of Moi Stadium in Kisumu. The stadium is another key venue being developed as Kenya prepares its infrastructure for AFCON 2027.
These developments show the scale of preparation involved in hosting a major continental football tournament. Kenya is working to upgrade multiple stadiums across the country, while also managing rising costs linked to these large-scale projects.
Vocabulary9 words
- CAF
- the organisation that manages football across Africa
- assessment
- a careful check of how good or ready something is
- co-host
- to share the job of hosting an event with others
- budget
- the amount of money planned for a project
- tax bill
- money that must be paid to the government
- construction
- the process of building something
- infrastructure
- basic structures like roads and stadiums needed by a country
- venue
- a place where an event happens
- tournament
- a series of games to find a winner
Quiz
Answer key
1. Kipchoge Keino Stadium 2. From Sh35bn to Sh45.85bn 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has begun a new _____ of Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.
Kenya is set to _____ the tournament along with two other East African countries.
CAF regularly visits proposed _____ before major tournaments to check whether stadiums meet the required standards.
The _____ for the project has risen sharply, from an initial Sh35 billion to Sh45.85 billion.
Alongside this increase, the project also carries a _____ of Sh10 billion.
The Kenyan government has issued an update on the _____ progress of Moi Stadium in Kisumu.
Kenya is working to upgrade multiple stadiums across the country, while also managing rising costs linked to these large-scale _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think CAF checks stadiums before a tournament like AFCON?
- What could be the reasons why the Talanta Sports City budget increased so much?
- Do you think it is fair for large public projects to also carry big tax bills? Why or why not?
- What challenges might a country face when hosting a major sports tournament?