CAF President Patrice Motsepe has promised to make a special visit to Uganda after travel restrictions disrupted his planned inspection.
Motsepe had expected to visit Kampala and meet President Yoweri Museveni alongside Uganda’s football leadership during his latest East African tour.
However, he told journalists in Dar es Salaam that visiting Uganda would have affected his onward journey to the United States.
“I was supposed to go to Uganda to meet with President Museveni and the football leadership,” Motsepe said.
“But I didn’t know that there was a restriction that when you visit Uganda, you have to spend 21 days before you can go to America, yet that is where I am heading.”
Motsepe said CAF already has officials monitoring Uganda’s preparations and will remain engaged with the country’s political and football leadership.
“We have people on the ground, and I will make contact with President Museveni. When I return, I will make a special visit to Uganda,” he added.
The restriction referenced by Motsepe is connected to United States public-health measures introduced following an Ebola outbreak in the region.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced restrictions and enhanced screening for travellers recently present in Uganda, DR Congo and South Sudan.
According to the CDC, affected travellers’ requirements depend on their nationality, immigration status and recent travel history.
The regulations have included restrictions affecting some foreign nationals who visited Uganda within 21 days before travelling to the United States.
Motsepe’s description reflected how the measures affected his itinerary rather than a blanket restriction covering every traveler leaving Uganda.
His Uganda visit was expected to form part of CAF’s continued assessment of preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, CAF’s official itinerary only confirmed visits to Tanzania on September 17 and Kenya on September 18.
In Tanzania, Motsepe inspected Benjamin Mkapa Stadium and met government officials to discuss progress and areas requiring further attention.
He is also scheduled to travel to Kenya for government engagements and an inspection of facilities earmarked for the competition.
CAF said the visits would assess whether preparations remained aligned with its infrastructure, operational and competition requirements.
Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will jointly stage the tournament under the Pamoja banner from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
It will be the first Africa Cup of Nations hosted by three countries and the continent’s first edition staged in East Africa and first in the CECAFA region since Ethiopia hosted in 1976.
Uganda’s preparations include work at Mandela National Stadium, Hoima City Stadium and the new Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira.
CAF officials recently conducted an eight-day technical inspection covering important facilities across the three co-hosting countries.
Motsepe’s postponed visit would have allowed him to assess Uganda’s progress personally and discuss outstanding requirements with the government.
Despite missing Uganda, he emphasised CAF’s commitment to working with all three countries ahead of what he described as Africa’s most important sporting event.
“The main purpose of my visit is to emphasise the deep commitment from CAF and the 54 member associations,” Motsepe said.
“It is also to emphasise my personal deep commitment and the importance of this competition to African football.”
CAF has not announced the date for Motsepe’s promised special visit to Uganda.