AFCON 2027 Fan Travel: Your Questions Answered
AFCON 2027 Fan Travel:
Your Questions Answered
Everything a first-time visitor asks before flying in for the tournament — answered straight, by people who live here.
A lot of AFCON Pamoja 2027 visitors will be arriving in Tanzania — or East Africa — for the very first time, built entirely around a football schedule. That means a lot of first-timer questions land in one inbox: visas, tickets, safety, weather, money. Here are the honest answers to the ones we hear most.
Before You
Book Flights
Is Tanzania safe for football fans travelling for AFCON?
Yes. Tanzania is welcoming and, by regional standards, safe for visitors taking normal precautions — petty theft, traffic and heat are far more likely to affect your trip than anything else. Match days at Benjamin Mkapa (Dar es Salaam) and Sheikh Amri Abeid (Arusha) will be heavily policed and well organised, as is standard for CAF tournaments.
Do I need a visa?
Almost certainly yes. Tanzania’s eVisa process is straightforward for most nationalities — apply online at least two weeks before you travel to avoid queueing on arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport. Requirements vary by nationality, so confirm the current rules before booking flights.
How do I get match tickets?
Through the official CAF ticketing portal only. Be wary of third-party resale sites and social media sellers close to match dates — stick to official channels for anything involving payment.
Which Tanzanian cities host matches?
Four: Dar es Salaam (Benjamin Mkapa Stadium), Zanzibar (Amaan Stadium), Arusha (Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium), and Dodoma (Jamhuri Stadium). Tanzania co-hosts the tournament alongside Kenya and Uganda, so some fixtures fall outside Tanzania entirely — check the official fixture list for your team.
Should I combine the tournament with a safari?
If your schedule allows it, yes — June and July fall in peak dry season, the best wildlife-viewing conditions of the year. Arusha, one of the two host cities, is also the launchpad for the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire. It is a genuinely easy add-on, not a detour.
Money, Weather
& Getting Around
Yes, in Dar es Salaam and Arusha especially. Rooms near both stadiums will fill months ahead of the June 19 opener. Book as early as your schedule allows — this is not a market where you find a room the week of your match.
June and July are dry and cool by Tanzanian standards — roughly 18–27°C depending on the week and location. Arusha, at altitude, runs noticeably cooler in the evenings than Dar es Salaam’s coast. Pack a light layer for match nights.
Cash in Tanzanian Shillings covers most day-to-day spending; larger hotels and restaurants take international cards. M-Pesa mobile money works for visitors once you have a local SIM — genuinely useful for match-day food and transport.
Use Bolt or a pre-arranged driver, never an unmarked taxi, especially leaving a match at night with a large crowd dispersing at once. Arrive at least two hours before kickoff — security lines move slowly on marquee fixtures.
All Four
Host Cities
Tanzania’s largest city and commercial capital — more nightlife, more restaurant choice, the ferry gateway to Zanzibar for a post-match extension. Base yourself in Msasani or Oyster Bay, both a manageable transfer from the stadium.
The only island venue — one of the most atmospheric settings in African football. Fast ferry from Dar takes about 2 hours; book ferry and accommodation early, as the island fills fast for match dates.
Cooler, greener, and the direct launchpad for a Northern Circuit safari before or after your match. Smaller and easier to navigate than Dar, with the Serengeti and Ngorongoro within a few hours’ drive.
Tanzania’s geographic and political capital, less visited by tourists but genuinely interesting. Reached by a 5–6 hour coach from Dar or a short domestic flight. Book accommodation early — options are more limited than the coast.
AFCON Pamoja 2027
Coming for AFCON 2027?
TafutaTZ arranges match-day transport, verified accommodation near both stadiums, and safari add-ons — book before rooms disappear.