Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania successfully co-hosted the CHAN tournament in August 2025, a competition reserved for players competing in their domestic leagues. The event was seen as a key test run for the region's ability to stage major continental football competitions.

With the attention now fully on AFCON 2027 which will be jointly hosted by the three East African nations from June 19 to July 18. It will be the first time in history that AFCON is staged by three countries, and the first return of the tournament to the CECAFA region since Ethiopia hosted it in 1976.

Speaking during a CAF AFCON 2027 workshop in Kampala, Adamu emphasised the scale of the challenge ahead. He noted that AFCON operates on a significantly larger level than CHAN in terms of infrastructure, logistics and global expectations, urging host nations to move swiftly from planning to execution.

"CHAN was a valuable lesson, but AFCON is a completely different tournament with greater scale, expectations and requirements. We must adopt a new mindset and avoid comparisons," said Adamu, as quoted by Flashscore.

"We are about one year away, and time is limited. Every moment matters. Roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined and milestones achieved without delay."

Adamu also confirmed strong backing from CAF leadership, including president Patrice Motsepe, stressing that the organisation is fully committed to the success of the project.

Leaders from the three host nations echoed that confidence. FUFA president Moses Magogo said East Africa is ready to learn and improve, insisting that the region's previous lack of experience should not be mistaken for lack of ability.

FKF president Hussein Mohammed highlighted the importance of legacy, while TFF president Wallace Karia pledged that all key deliverables will be completed by December.

CAF's visit to Kampala marks the start of an intensified preparation phase as East Africa aims to deliver a historic and successful AFCON 2027.

Collins Sichenje looks to Kenya's 2027 AFCON campaign with optimism