The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as AFCON 2027 or CAN 2027, is scheduled to be the 36th edition of the biennial African football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
It will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in June and July 2027.
In Kenya, three venues have been picked – Nyayo and Kasarani Stadiums in Nairobi and Eldoret’s Kipchoge Keino Stadium.
With about three years before the AFCON 2027 starts, here’s a list of temporary businesses an individual living around the three areas can venture in.
Business to start during AFCON
The eight have a guaranteed maximum returns during the AFCON period.
Transport industry
AFCON is a continental tournament that attracts thousands of fans from participating teams.
Those fans will need taxis, bodas, luxury cars and busses for their transport.
People are always on the move during the tournament. Bodas, for example will always be the fastest mean to get to and out of the stadium.
However, VIPs tend to hire luxury cars for moving around.
Accommodation: Hotels, Airbnb, hosting
This is the most challenging bit to the fans/journalists attending.
Accommodation is never enough as demand is higher than the supply. If you can host, turn a house into an Airbnb or have a hotel you’ll make some cash.
Fast food and street food
Fans will want to grab something before and after the game. Usually, the food at the stadium may be slightly expensive for the attending fans so they will go for a quick sandwich, smocha, or smokie pasua.
Street food at night sells like hot cake as fans want something to hold their stomach until morning.
Open social areas
Whenever a country is hosting a big tournament, everyone is carried away by the atmosphere and feel of the tournament.
Due to this, everyone will be looking for a match ticket but only a few can get to a stadium like Kasarani which has a capacity of 50,000. Kipchoge Keino will be lesser than that. This leaves a chance for something called ‘a fan park or fan zone’.
Football fans not attending a match at the stadium will look for an open space area to catch the game with other fans. They prefer big open places as they feel safe, can throw stuff and run around.
For towns like Mombasa, Kisumu, and other places in Nairobi that will not host the matches in 2027, business owners can come up with fan zones and set up big screens to make a few coins.
Football kits
Every fan will want to don his favorite team’s kit whether on the way to the stadium, fan park or just watching at home.
Host team kits sell like smokies. These kits run out in the first few weeks and demand increases as the team progresses.
“I remember I carried a few for my friends when I was going to Qatar for the World Cup because they were not only expensive over there but also rare to find. On the eve of Nigeria vs Ivory Coast this year, I unsuccessfully tried to purchase a Nigerian kit in Abidjan,” says sports journalist Eric Njiru.
Translators
English, French, Arabic, and Portuguese dominate the African football sphere.
Organizations like CAF will hire translators for press conferences and stadium activities.
Teams and individuals can also hire different translators depending on needs.
If you are already studying one of those languages keep going as there could be an opportunity for you soon.
Clubs/social places
Football fans don’t sleep. Clubs and social places will make a killing. They want to party till morning, watch football, and repeat.
Shopping and local markets
During their free time, AFCON fans like sampling local markets to buy something to take back to their country.
People want to take back something that will remind them of the tournament.
There are many more business ideas, the trick is to start planning early.
