Fumba City Stadium is the most extraordinary venue in AFCON 2027 — and arguably in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations. A brand new 35,000-capacity football-specific arena rising from coral rock on the south-western peninsula of Zanzibar Island. The first major sports facility ever built on Zanzibar. The first AFCON stadium ever built on an island. Here is everything confirmed about the Fumba City Stadium project.
The Fast Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Fumba peninsula, Urban West Region, Zanzibar |
| Capacity | 35,000 — largest stadium ever built on Zanzibar Island |
| Contractor | ORKUN Group (Turkey) |
| Designer | AFL Architects (Manchester, UK) |
| Lead developer | Globespan Infrastructure |
| Total investment | TZS 388.8 billion (~$150 million USD) |
| Completion target | December 2026 |
| AFCON 2027 role | Group stage matches |
| Type | Football-specific — no athletics track |
| Special feature | Multi-Purpose Arena system — concerts, conferences, events |
Construction Status — April 2026
Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi inspected the AFCON Fumba City project on April 14, 2026, reviewing construction progress of the 35,000-seat stadium being built by Turkish firm ORKUN Group, designed to meet international standards set by the Confederation of African Football.
During the inspection, President Mwinyi issued a directive to contractors and state officials to fast-track the project. “I want to see this project complete in time,” he said, underscoring the government’s focus on speed and delivery.
The construction of the project is expected to be completed by December 2026 — giving Zanzibar a full six months of test events before the AFCON kickoff in June 2027.
On the ground, the transformation is already visible. An impressive circle of rebar cages pointing fiercely towards the sky marks the position of the new stadium. The stadium, which will be by far the biggest in Zanzibar, has triggered all other activities in the area. Zanzibar joined the contest last-minute as a host and is now under enormous pressure to get the stadium ready.
The Full Complex — More Than a Stadium
The Zanzibar Sports Complex is a comprehensive development initiative. The 35,000-seat stadium will be equipped with a Multi-Purpose Arena system — a unique and advanced technology used in only a limited number of stadiums worldwide. This feature will allow the stadium to host not only football matches but also concerts, conferences and other large-scale gatherings.
The first phase of the project includes the main stadium at 36,500 capacity, along with two training fields each with a capacity of 15,000 spectators. One of the training fields will also be used for national celebrations.
Additional facilities planned as part of the broader Fumba City development:
- A government-owned 400-bed hotel
- A 40-bed medical tourism hospital
- Military parade ground — capacity 10,000
- Commercial and retail facilities
- Residential development for post-tournament use
The government plans to transform the AFCON City site post-games into a sports complex and residential development. Fumba City is not built for AFCON alone — it is a long-term urban development project that uses the tournament as its launchpad.
The Location — Fumba Free Economic Zone
The Fumba Free Economic Zone on the south-western peninsula of Zanzibar serves as the home of AFCON City. The zone has been established with the intention of building Zanzibar as a primary tech and investment hub in Africa and the wider Indian Ocean region.
The stadium sits in what is described as a “Blue Economy” zone — located in a Blue Economy zone, it will likely host some of the most scenic matches of the tournament, attracting global media attention to the entire East African bloc.
The Indian Ocean backdrop, the coral rock landscape and the Zanzibar horizon make Fumba City Stadium the most visually dramatic match venue of AFCON 2027 — and arguably of any AFCON in the tournament’s 70-year history.
The Fumba Legacy — Beyond AFCON 2027
This is the first major sports facility ever built on Zanzibar Island. Before Fumba City Stadium, Zanzibar’s largest football venue was the renovated Amaan Stadium at 15,000 capacity — built in 1970 with Chinese government aid. Fumba more than doubles that capacity and introduces international-standard infrastructure to an island that has never hosted a major sporting event at this level.
The post-tournament vision is significant. In 2028, the Fumba Free Economic Zone will become home to the Burj Zanzibar — a 96-metre timber tower which, upon completion, will be the world’s largest timber apartment structure, operating under the banner of Canopy by Hilton and representing Zanzibar’s first such enterprise. Fumba is being transformed into one of East Africa’s most ambitious urban development projects — with AFCON 2027 as the moment the world first notices it.
Getting to Fumba City Stadium
Fumba is approximately 25km southwest of Stone Town — the furthest of Zanzibar’s AFCON venues from the main tourist areas. It is not walkable from anywhere on the island.
| From | Transport | Time | Cost (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Town | Bolt or private taxi | 30–45 min | 15,000–30,000 TZS |
| Nungwi (north coast) | Private taxi | 60–75 min | 40,000–60,000 TZS |
| Zanzibar Airport | Bolt or private taxi | 20–30 min | 10,000–20,000 TZS |
Match day tip: Book transport to and from Fumba before match day. The area has limited public transport infrastructure. Do not rely on finding a taxi outside the stadium after the final whistle — book your return ride before kick-off.
The Bigger Picture — AFCON 2027 on an Island
In 70 years of AFCON history — 34 previous tournaments played across North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa and Southern Africa — not a single match has ever been played on an island. AFCON 2027 in Zanzibar ends that.
Tanzania has presented the Fumba Stadium at 36,500 capacity in Zanzibar as one of its AFCON 2027 venues alongside Benjamin Mkapa Stadium (60,000), Samia Suluhu Stadium (30,000) in Arusha and Amaan Stadium (15,000) also in Zanzibar.
When the opening whistle blows at Fumba City Stadium for an AFCON 2027 group stage match — with the Indian Ocean visible beyond the stands, the Stone Town skyline in the distance and fans from across Africa gathered on an island that has never experienced anything like it — that will be one of the great moments in the tournament’s history.
For the complete Zanzibar AFCON 2027 guide including how to get there, where to stay and the New Amaan Sports Complex see our Zanzibar fan guide. For all seven AFCON 2027 stadiums see our complete stadiums guide. For tickets see our tickets guide.
Construction data sourced from Daily News Tanzania, The Citizen Tanzania, The Respondents, Rora Media Sports, ORKUN Group official website and Fumba Town publication. Construction status as of April 2026 — Zanzibar President Mwinyi inspection visit. This page will be updated as construction progresses.