FUFA President Moses Magogo has called on East Africa to treat the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations as more than just a football tournament, saying it is a rare chance to strengthen regional unity and development.
He made the call on Wednesday during the opening of the PAMOJA workshop at Mestil Hotel in Kampala.
CAF delegation is currently meeting a high-level delegation from the PAMOJA Host Nations of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
PAMOJA delegation comprises of Government Ministers, the 3 Presidents from Kenya (Hussein Mohammed), Tanzania (Wallace Karia) and Uganda (Magogo).
CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu is leading the CAF delegation.
The workshop comes few months beforethe three East African countries host the AFCON 2027.
Magogo said the event should be used to deepen cooperation between Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, the three countries set to co-host AFCON 2027.
‘This is an opportunity for East Africa and the East African Community. Our Head of State has been very clear on this, that we need to integrate East Africa. What an opportunity that our beloved game, the most beautiful game, is being used to bring East Africa together,’ he said.
The workshop ending Thursday, also brought together government representatives and football leaders to review preparations for the continental showpiece.
Magogo stressed that hosting AFCON should accelerate regional ambitions beyond sport, linking it to wider economic and political integration goals.
‘It is the dream of our President and the dream of our Presidents in East Africa that we want to have a common people, a common market and a common territory,’ he noted, adding that AFCON presents ‘an opportunity to widen, to tighten and to deepen our East African Community," Magogo said.
He also pointed to the economic benefits already seen during past tournaments, especially in tourism and transport sectors.
"Football does not come with just what we see on the pitch, but also what happens at the airport, where we had the biggest number of visitors in our history during the period of CHAN," he revealed.
Magogo acknowledged that the region still has lessons to learn but said CAF’s experience would guide the process as preparations intensify.
The PAMOJA workshop continues in Kampala, focusing on infrastructure, coordination and delivery plans for the 2027 tournament.
