FUFA President Hon. Magogo Moses Hassim has highlighted the potential of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) PAMOJA 2027 to promote Uganda’s tourism sector, attract international visitors and contribute to the country’s economic transformation.
The signing ceremony was attended by CAF General Secretary Samson Adamu, UTB Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kagwa, Minister of State for Education and Sports Hon. Peter Ogwang, Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Hon. Susan Nakawuki Nsambu and the Chief Guest, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa.
Speaking at the signing of a partnership between the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in Kampala, the FUFA President emphasised the importance of leveraging football’s global appeal to showcase Uganda to the world and create lasting economic opportunities beyond the tournament.
‘Today, I don’t look at this event as a signature of Uganda Tourism Board and CAF in a partnership. For me, it’s an indicator that actually AFCON is going to happen,’ he said.
Uganda will co-host the 2027 continental showpiece with Kenya and Tanzania from 19th June to 17th July 2027. For FUFA, the tournament represents an opportunity to advance football development while contributing to the country’s wider national ambitions.
Hon. Magogo traced his desire to bring AFCON to Uganda to his longstanding ambition to see the country participate in and eventually host Africa’s premier football competition.
He recalled the disappointment of 9th October 2011, when Uganda narrowly missed out on qualification following the encounter against Kenya at Namboole, despite his longstanding desire to see the Cranes compete at the continental tournament.
That dream took a significant step forward on 4th September 2016, when Uganda secured qualification for the 2017 AFCON finals.
‘It’s one thing taking Uganda back to the AFCON, it’s another thing to bring AFCON to Uganda,’ he said, reflecting on the journey from qualification to securing hosting rights for the 2027 edition.
Following CAF’s announcement on 27th September 2023 that East Africa would host AFCON 2027, FUFA embarked on efforts to communicate the significance of the tournament and engage the relevant authorities on the opportunities it would bring to Uganda.
The partnership between CAF and UTB builds on those efforts, providing a platform to promote the country’s tourism attractions, cultural heritage and hospitality to international audiences through the tournament’s broadcast, digital and in-stadium platforms.
Hon. Magogo noted that AFCON’s value extends beyond the action on the pitch, with the anticipated influx of visitors presenting opportunities for businesses and communities across the country.
‘For me, it’s our game being very important to the country, not just as a sport and entertainment and the corners and the free kicks, but now affecting the pockets of Ugandans,’ he said.
He pointed to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) as an example of football’s potential to stimulate tourism, recalling the increase in visitors at Entebbe International Airport during the tournament.
With AFCON attracting a significantly wider audience and more visitors than CHAN, he said Uganda has an even greater opportunity to generate tourism revenue and encourage visitors to discover more of the country.
‘Our game eventually is making value to the economy by bringing in more visitors. The more visitors you get, the more dollars that come into the country, the more expenditure,’ he said.
The FUFA President further emphasised the importance of ensuring that the benefits of hosting AFCON extend beyond the tournament itself, encouraging visitors to return to Uganda and explore its tourism offerings in the years that follow.
‘The most important thing is not only the visitors coming during AFCON, but the ambition to come back, even after AFCON,’ he said.
He added that increased economic activity could benefit Ugandans across different sectors, including those engaged in agriculture and small businesses.
‘Because when the economy does well, whoever grows tomatoes, whoever grows mangoes, eventually benefits from it,’ he said.
The CAF–UTB partnership secures Official Destination Sponsor rights for Uganda Tourism Board, positioning Explore Uganda – The Pearl of Africa at the heart of AFCON 2027’s international promotional activities.
Through the partnership, Uganda will have an opportunity to present its diverse tourism attractions to millions of football supporters across Africa and around the world, encouraging visitors to experience the country beyond the stadiums.
CAF General Secretary Samson Adamu welcomed UTB into the CAF partnership, highlighting the opportunity to leverage football’s global popularity to promote Uganda beyond its role as a host nation.
‘Through this partnership, Uganda Tourism Board will be able to leverage on the global popularity of football to position Uganda not only as a Host Nation but as a tourism destination,’ Adamu said.
He added that AFCON 2027 would provide East Africa with an opportunity to market itself to more than three billion people globally who will be watching the tournament.
Uganda Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kagwa described AFCON 2027 as a major opportunity to market the country internationally and encourage visitors to explore its attractions beyond the football venues.
‘The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 is the biggest tourism marketing opportunity Uganda has had in a generation,’ Kagwa said.
She noted that the partnership would help showcase Uganda’s wildlife, culture, food and people, with the ambition of encouraging visitors to extend their stays and return after the tournament.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa called for collective efforts to ensure Uganda maximises the tourism and economic opportunities presented by AFCON 2027.
He described the CAF–UTB agreement as an important milestone in promoting Uganda internationally and creating opportunities for local businesses and communities.
‘Our ambition must go beyond hosting football matches. We must use AFCON 2027 to sell Uganda to Africa and the world,’ Tayebwa said.
He reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to supporting the policies and resource mobilisation necessary for successful hosting of the tournament.
Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Hon. Susan Nsambu Nakawuki urged the Uganda Tourism Board to turn the AFCON 2027 marketing opportunity into actual tourist arrivals and economic benefits.
‘Let us move beyond impressions and exposure to generating genuine travel interest, enquiries, bookings and actual visits to our country,’ she said.
She called on tourism stakeholders to prepare competitive packages that combine football with Uganda’s wildlife, cultural and adventure experiences.
As preparations for AFCON 2027 continue, FUFA remains committed to working with the relevant stakeholders to deliver a successful tournament and maximise the opportunities it presents for Ugandan football and the country as a whole.
