Victor Wanyama believes Kenya’s co-hosting of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA (AFCON 2027) presents a transformative opportunity for the country’s football landscape, offering benefits that will be felt long after the final whistle is blown.
With one year before Kenya co-hosts the competition with its East African neighbours Uganda and Tanzania, the former Harambee Stars captain is confident hosting the comeptition will drive positive change for the sport in his country.
The tournament will be staged in East Africa for the first time in 51 years with 24 teams to be confirmed for the finals, which are to be staged from 19 June to 17 July 2027.
Wanyanma is delighted that Africa’s biggest football spectacle will come to the region for the first time, ijnsisting it can serve as a catalyst for the growth of the game in the country.
“I am really excited to see Kenya host the AFCON because it is a huge opportunity for Kenyan football. It is a chance for the fans to see international stars right in their own backyard and for anyone who loves football, this is a huge thing,” Wanyama said told CAFOnline.com in an exclusive interview.
Having represented Kenya on the biggest stages of international football, reaching the Champions League final with Tottenham Hotspur and captaining Harambee Stars at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, Wanyama understands the significance of such a tournament.
He says the positives not only transcends for supporters but also for the players who will have the privilege of competing before a home crowd.
Wanyama says AFCON 2027 will provide Kenyan players with a rare platform to showcase their abilities to a continental and global audience while benefiting from the confidence that comes with playing on familiar soil.
“For the players, it is another opportunity to showcase their talent to the rest of the world. There’s a certain confidence that comes with playing at home and this will give them a comfortable platform to express themselves.
“We will open up Kenyan football to the rest of the world and this will be the beginning of our improvement,” he added.
For Wanyama, one of the most exciting aspects of the tournament is the opportunity it creates for a new generation of footballers to experience something that was unavailable during his playing days with the national team.
The former captain believes AFCON 2027 could change perceptions about Kenyan sport, showcasing the country’s football potential alongside its already established reputation as a global athletics powerhouse.
“I am glad that these players will get a chance of what we couldn’t when we were playing and it is such opportunities that make a difference. People majorly know Kenya for athletics but now we have an opportunity of selling our football and our talent,” he said.
Beyond the action on the pitch, Wanyama is equally optimistic about the long-term infrastructural gains that hosting Africa’s premier football competition will leave behind.
He notes that improved stadiums, training facilities and transport networks will create a stronger foundation for the development of sports in Kenya.
“In terms of facilities, hosting AFCON will see us improve our stadia, road networks, training grounds and so many other things. For long in Kenya, sports has suffered because there haven’t been many facilities and people end up squeezing into the little that is there. Hosting a tournament of this magnitude ensures we construct world-class stuff and this ends up improving the sport,” Wanyama explained.
As anticipation builds towards the tournament, Wanyama is hopeful Harambee Stars can take full advantage of the home support and write a new chapter in Kenyan football history.
The 33-year-old was part of the team that ended Kenya’s 15-year absence from AFCON when the country qualified for the 2019 edition in Egypt.
While Harambee Stars managed one victory during that campaign, Wanyama believes the current generation has the potential to go even further.
“Hopefully the Kenyan national team can use the home advantage to make historic performances. I captained the Kenyan team at our last AFCON and we won only one match in Egypt. I am confident however that this Kenyan team can do better than us and move into the latter stages,” he said.
‘Big Vic’, as he is fondly referred as also drew from his recent experience as a CHAN 2024 ambassador, where he witnessed first-hand the excitement and economic activity generated by hosting a major continental tournament.
As a tournament ambassador, he interacted with fans, communities and stakeholders across the capital and saw the enthusiasm that football can generate when brought closer to the people.
“Being a CHAN ambassador gave me an opportunity to see the impact that a major tournament can have on a country.
“The excitement among the fans, the attention from the rest of Africa and the opportunities it created for businesses and young people was incredible. It showed me what football can do when it is brought home,” Wanyama said.
He adds; “CHAN was a huge step for us, but AFCON 2027 will be on a completely different scale. The number of fans, teams, visitors and the global attention that comes with it will be much bigger.
“If we saw positive impact with CHAN, then I am confident AFCON will leave an even greater legacy for Kenyan football and for the country as a whole.”
With preparations gathering pace across the three host nations, Wanyama’s message reflects the growing optimism surrounding AFCON 2027; a tournament many hope will not only showcase Africa’s football excellence but also usher in a new era for Kenyan and East African football.
SOURCE: CAF ONLINE
