By NATION AFRICA

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President William Ruto Monday received Kenya's joint bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) alongside neighbours Uganda and Tanzania.

Kenya’s Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba and Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa presented the document to Ruto at state house in Nairobi.

Kenya has teamed up with neighbours Tanzania and Uganda in the plan dubbed the “Pamoja” bid to bring the coveted continental showpiece to the East Africa region for the first time in history.

The president mandated Namwamba to engage his counterparts from Uganda and Tanzania so that the three East African nations can successfully win the bid to host the biggest football competition in the continent.

“The work of prosecuting our joint bid now begins in earnest and Kenya intends to make its full contribution to it. Namwamba is duly seized of this assignment and is mobilising his team, liaising with his counterparts in Uganda and Tanzania to formulate a winning bid so that the people of our countries can look forward to participating in a successful 2027 tournament,” Ruto said.

“We hope that our joint bid will motivate all our sides not only to qualify for the 2027 tournament, but also excel beyond previous achievements,” added Ruto.

“We also intend to launch a compelling bid that will succeed in winning us this critical opportunity to make Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania the epicentres of regional and continental footballing resurgence,” he said.

Ruto on Sunday told journalists during a press briefing that the bid will be presented to Confederation of African Football (Caf) on Wednesday.

Caf has set May 23 as the deadline for member associations to submit their final bids. Algeria, Botswana and Egypt are the countries that submitted their expression of interest to host the 2027 Afcon.

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Only arena

The National Stadium in Dar es Salaam is the only arena in the entire East Africa which can currently host continental matches, according to the report on standards of stadiums released by Caf in February.

Kenya's biggest stadiums Nyayo and Moi International Sports Center Kasarani are still banned from hosting international matches by Caf.

Caf's demands for any country hosting its matches are that the venues must be near an airport, level five hospital and a five-star hotel.

Each of the venues must also be accompanied by at least three world class training grounds.

Caf has set June 1 to July 15 as the duration for inspection visits. Kenya was awarded and later on stripped of the hosting rights for the 1996 Afcon, and 2018 African Nation Championship (CHAN).

While Kenya's national team “Harambee Stars” has qualified for Afcon six times, Uganda Cranes and Taifa Stars have made it to the continental tourney seven and two times respectively.