BY SUKHDEV CHHATBAR
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has invited tender applications for services needed to stage Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027, to be held in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
As of August 12, the CAF official tender portal had listed 19 service packages connected to AFCON 2027 operations, covering areas including hotels and accommodation, integrated transport, ticketing, accreditation, access control, broadcasting, television production, language services, photography, branding and signage, pre-match ceremonies and workforce and volunteer management.
CAF said it was seeking “established, experienced and reputable service providers” with the technical and operational capacity required for the respective areas. Its tender notices say the procurement process is being carried out under principles of transparency, competition and operational excellence.
The openings mark a shift in the AFCON story from mainly stadiums, roads and other public infrastructure to businesses that will actually provide goods, services and technology during the tournament.
For Tanzanian firms, one of the most significant details is that the AFCON-specific tender packages include an AFCON 2027 Local Economic Participation Guide, alongside CAF’s normal supplier registration and compliance documents. The public tender notices do not disclose the weighting or specific local-content targets contained in that guide, meaning prospective bidders will need to examine the full tender documentation before submitting offers.
The Tanzanian government has also signaled that it wants domestic companies to participate. The Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports said it has been engaging the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation, led by Chief Executive Officer Deogratius Masawe, on creating an enabling environment for local investors and businesses to take advantage of the service and commercial opportunities arising hosting the AFCON 2027.
That could put companies in hospitality, transport, technology, printing, media production, event management and related sectors in a position to compete directly for CAF assignments or participate in the wider supply chain around successful contractors.
Among the most immediately relevant opportunities is CAF’s request for hotels and accommodation services. The tender package includes a dedicated AFCON 2027 price collection sheet, with proposals due by September 2, 2026 at 17:00 Cairo time. CAF is also seeking an integrated transport provider under the same September 2, deadline.
Other tenders closing on September 2 include end-to-end ticketing, infotainment services, venue access management, accreditation for printing materials, access-control hardware and equipment, host broadcasting, electronic news-gathering crews, transmission services, an accreditation management system, language services and on-site television graphics. Questions and requests for clarification on these tenders must generally reach CAF by August 23 at 17:00 Cairo time. Luckily, Cairo time is the same as East African time.
A separate tender for a workforce and volunteers management solution closes on September 8, with clarification questions due by August 29. The tender is for the technology and management solution that will support the tournament workforce and volunteers; it is not in itself a public call for individuals to register as AFCON volunteers.
CAF is also inviting proposals for photography services by September 9, while a pitch and floodlight expertise, testing, monitoring and technical-support contract carries the same deadline. Clarification requests for both close on August 30.
Companies specialising in advertising production, large-format printing and event branding have slightly longer deadline. CAF’s branding and signage tender closes on September 10, while bids to provide the tournament’s pre-match ceremony services also closes on September 10. Questions for both must be submitted by August 30.
CAF has not published the monetary value of the individual contracts on the public tender pages reviewed by The Arusha News so it is not yet possible to determine the total value of the work being placed on the market. What is clear from the range of tenders, however, is that tournament spending will extend well beyond construction.
Tanzanian businesses have already begun positioning themselves for that opportunity. Speaking in Dar es Salaam last month, T9 Media and Communications Chief Executive Officer, Othman Abdulrazak, described the tournament as a major opening for businesses in transport, hospitality, tourism, financial services, distribution and technology.
“AFCON is a huge opportunity for us,” Abdulrazak said, urging companies to prepare early rather than wait until the tournament approaches. He made the remarks before the current wave of CAF operational tenders appeared, giving businesses a clearer picture of where some of the tournament spending would be directed.
CAF itself has said AFCON 2027 could bring substantial economic benefits to the three host countries, identifying hotels, airlines, restaurants, transport operators, media companies, security services, tourism operators and small businesses among sectors expected to benefit from the movement of teams, officials, journalists and supporters.
HOW BUSINESSES CAN BID
Businesses interested in the current opportunities should:
- Visit the official CAF Tenders section and select the relevant AFCON 2027 procurement notice.
- Download and review the complete tender package, particularly the Instructions to bidders and the technical requirements for the specific service.
- Complete the required documentation, which commonly includes a Letter of Interest, conflict-of-interest declaration, non-disclosure agreement, supplier registration form, online supplier registration, sustainability due-diligence questionnaire and the requirements connected to the AFCON 2027 Local Economic Participation Guide. Some tenders also contain additional technical or financial templates.
- Submit clarification questions before the applicable clarification deadline. CAF says questions should be sent to procurement@cafonline.com, and responses will be shared with bidders who submitted their Letter of Interest early.
- Submit the complete proposal by email to procurement@cafonline.com before the deadline stated for the particular tender. CAF has warned bidders to ensure all mandatory registration and compliance documents form part of their offer.
With the earliest clarification deadline falling on August 23 and the first large group of tenders closing on September 2, Tanzanian companies interested in AFCON 2027 business now have only days, rather than months,
