Events & sports
AFCON 2027 is eight months away: a playbook for Kenyan businesses
Chrisphine Otieno · 19 Oct 2026 · 2 min read
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be the first co-hosted by three countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It runs from 19 June to 17 July 2027 across ten stadiums in seven cities, according to Surprise Sports. Al Jazeera reported in early October that CAF had inspected the new Talanta stadium in Nairobi, while Kasarani's pitch was due by the end of October with handover planned for December.
Whatever happens on the pitch, the tournament will bring fans from across Africa and the diaspora, along with media crews, teams and officials, to East African cities for a month. Businesses that plan now will be ready for them; those that wait until May will be shouting into a crowded feed.
Who benefits
- Hotels, guesthouses and short-stay rentals in host cities
- Restaurants, bars and fan venues showing matches
- Transport: airport transfers, ride-hailing, matatus, inter-city buses
- Retail: jerseys, flags, food, drinks, phones and data bundles
- Tour operators offering safaris and day trips between matches
- Creative businesses: musicians, artists, event organisers
Timeline: October to June
Now to December 2026: decide what you will offer. A fan package, a match-day menu, an airport shuttle, a jersey line. Build your brand look for the tournament.
January to March 2027: start content. Fans planning travel book months ahead, especially from West and North Africa and the diaspora. Short videos about your city, your venue and your offer, in the languages those fans speak.
April to May 2027: increase frequency. The fixtures and the group stage will drive interest. Promote match-day offers, bookings and transport.
June to July 2027: the tournament itself. Daily posts, match-day updates, fast replies.
Speak to fans from everywhere
AFCON fans speak French, Arabic, Portuguese and many African languages as well as English and Kiswahili. Tari Studio lets you set the language of every spoken line and on-screen word to English (Kenyan or international), Kiswahili, the mix, French, or Chinese (Mandarin). French alone opens a large share of the continent's football fans. Have a native speaker check the final words.
Respect the brands you do not own
AFCON, CAF and the tournament's marks, mascot and trophy belong to their owners and are licensed to official sponsors. Unless you are a licensed partner, do not use them in your ads. Celebrate football, your city and the excitement of hosting instead. Never imitate real players without permission.
Make content that fans can use
The most shared content during a tournament is useful: how to get to the stadium, where to watch, what to eat, what to see between matches. Make a short clip for each, in the Studio's documentary-style AK1 for practical guides and the bold AK2 for the match-day energy.
Be ready to answer
Visitors will have questions at every hour. A shared inbox and automations that answer common questions (prices, directions, availability) in seconds will matter more than any ad. Tracked WhatsApp links show which posts bring bookings. WhatsApp and leads.