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The comprehensive inspection will cover five specific areas, namely sporting infrastructure such as the host venues and training venues, hotels, health, and transport, particularly the airport.
Uganda is getting ready to put her best foot forward, hopeful that the Pamoja bid will bear fruit, and bring the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to the East Africa for the first time in history.
Uganda, teaming up with neighbours Kenya and Tanzania will present their roses for inspection to African football governing body, CAF, as confirmed by FUFA President Moses Magogo.
The CAF inspection team, will commence its inspection in Kenya, before it sets on an inspection tour of the Ugandan facilities on July 28, 2023.
This forms part of their assessment of the East African Pamoja bid for the 2027 AFCON tournament. The delegation will wrap up their tour in Tanzania.
"We expect the CAF inspection team who will come to check on the facilities in East Africa,” said Magogo at a press conference on Tuesday.
"The CAF Inspection Team will visit the three East African states and will be in Uganda on 28th and 29th July. As FUFA, we have earmarked some of the venues that will used as sample space during the inspection," he added.
The comprehensive inspection headed by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) from Switzerland), will cover five specific areas, namely sporting infrastructure such as the host venues and training venues, hotels, health, and transport, particularly the airport.
In Uganda, the venues under review include the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende, and Nakivubo Stadium, the latter two of which have been designated as training grounds.
In addition to sporting infrastructure, the CAF team will also assess accommodations such as the five-star rated Sheraton Hotel Kampala and Serena Hotel, as well as the capacity of the Entebbe International Airport and Mulago National Referral Hospital.
"This inspection marks the final leg of the bid, before we get to know the decision from CAF regarding what is the best bid," Magogo explained, expressing confidence in the joint bid's strength.
"We shall present what we have as a country, and we are sure it will be enough to impress, because at this stage, it is more about the plans than what infrastructure is available."
Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, which have never hosted the AFCON, are hopeful their joint bid will prove successful.
The estimated value of the bid, as disclosed by Kenya Football Federation President Nick Mwendwa, stands at USD 90 million [approx. UGX 335.7 billion], with each federation committed to providing guarantees of $30 million.
Kenya's portion of the bid includes the iconic, 60,000-seater Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), the 30,000-seater Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, and the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.
Tanzania, on the other hand, will lean on the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium – the only CAF certified stadium among the three nations, and a few others that need upgrading.
To rival East Africa’s push to bring the AFCON to the East coast of Africa include, Algeria who are also bidding to host the 2025 AFCON.
Algeria is among the top football nations on the continent, and could be ready to host any event by the snap of a finger given the wealth of facilities.
The North African nation hosted the 2023 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) and currently has five venues in four cities accredited by CAF.
Another Nort African nation Egypt have also presented themselves in the running for hosting the tournament.
Egypt, who hosted the tournament in 2019, currently has six stadiums in three cities accredited by CAF.
Senegal became the fifth candidate to submit a hosting bid for the AFCON when the West African nation officially submitted its bid on Monday.
Senegal, the current AFCON Champions from 2021, last hosted the tournament in 1992 and had been considering a bid for hosting 2025.
Botswana was counting on neighbours Namibia to submit a joint bid termed ‘BONA 2027’, but the latter pulled out due to financial constraints.
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