Harambee Stars winger Boniface Muchiri has come out strongly in defence of East Africa’s ability to successfully host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, pushing back against claims that the region is unprepared for the tournament.
The debate was sparked by comments from veteran Ivorian journalist Mamadou Gaye, who questioned the readiness of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to co-host the competition.
Gaye argued that the region’s transport systems and general infrastructure were inadequate and suggested that staging the tournament in East Africa would represent a step down after Morocco’s hosting of AFCON 2025.
Speaking during an interaction with CAF president Patrice Motsepe, Gaye claimed that travel between countries in the region was difficult and raised concerns that the overall standards of the tournament could be compromised.
He even proposed that the Confederation of African Football consider withdrawing hosting rights from the three nations.
However, Motsepe firmly dismissed the suggestion, reiterating that AFCON 2027 will go ahead in East Africa as planned. Gaye’s remarks have since drawn criticism from fans and football stakeholders, who accused him of showing disrespect toward the region.
Muchiri joined the growing list of voices rejecting the journalist’s claims, expressing confidence in East Africa’s capacity to deliver a successful tournament. He pointed to the region’s recent experience hosting the African Nations Championship as proof that it can handle major continental events.
In a post shared on social media, the winger dismissed the criticism as uninformed and insisted that East African countries do not require external validation to host AFCON. He maintained that the region is capable of organising an even better tournament in 2027.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania officially assumed hosting duties after receiving the AFCON flag from Morocco following the 2025 final. With preparations already underway, the three nations now face the task of proving their critics wrong by delivering a memorable edition of Africa’s premier football competition.
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has also weighed in on the matter, rejecting suggestions that East Africa is not ready and backing the region to rise to the occasion in 2027.