Tanzania heightens preparations for Afcon as construction of Sh286 billion stadium starts

Dar es Salaam. In a major step towards hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in 2027, Tanzania has handed over a site for the construction of a new stadium in Arusha to a contractor.

The handing over ceremony was held at Olomoti area in Arusha on Saturday, April 6, 2024, where the Afcon city containing the stadium and accommodation facilities is expected to be developed.

Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda will jointly host the 36th edition of the biennial African football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in June and July 2027, while Morocco will stage the 2025 edition.

The planned Sh286 billion stadium to be named after President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Arusha is part of the preparations for the tournament.

“Today, we are handing over the site to a contractor for the stadium’s construction and he should start immediately,” said the Minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports, Dr Damas Ndumbaro, who graced the event also attended by other government officials.

“We believe the contractor who was obtained after a rigorous process, will meet our expectations,” he said, adding that the stadium will be constructed in 22 months.

“We need a quality stadium that will be built in time and meet the expectations of Tanzanians. We want a modern stadium,” added Dr Ndumbaro.

Tanzania plans to host the Afcon matches at the Benjamin William Mkapa stadium in Dar es Salaam, Amaan Complex in Zanzibar, and the planned Arusha stadium.

The Arusha-based stadium will have a capacity of 30,000 seats and will be the most modern in the East African countries.

Besides domestic and international matches, the stadium will also host various activities such as athletics, and trade events and significantly boost tourism in the country.

The stadium will be built by the China Railway Construction Engineering Group Limited (CRCEG) whose officials promised to build a modern facility.

“Expect to get the most modern stadium not only in Tanzania but also in Africa. The stadium will be ready by 2026,” said the CRCEG official who identified himself as Massawe.

The Kenya-Uganda-Tanzania bid got the nod from the CAF executive committee last year, taking the biennial tournament back to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia staged the 1976 finals.