Claim:A social media post by Samson Barrie claims that Sierra Leone’s national stadium (wrongly tagged “Sheka Steven Stadium”) has been completed and that the country will host the 2099 AFCON tournament.
Verdict: Misleading. Sierra Leone has not been announced as the host of the 2099 AFCON, and the image used in the post is AI-generated. The real Siaka Stevens Stadium is currently under renovation.
Full Text
A viral Facebook post by Samson Barrie claims that Sierra Leone’s national stadium has been completed and that the country will host the 2099 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The post includes the image of a modern stadium branded “Sheka Steven Stadium” in green, white, and blue.
The claim has generated excitement among many Sierra Leoneans, especially football fans who see it as a sign of progress in sports infrastructure. However, questions quickly arose about the authenticity of both the image and the information provided in the post, which was also shared here.
DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim to determine whether Sierra Leone has been selected to host the 2099 AFCON and whether the image is genuine.
Verification
Checks with official authorities show that the claim is not accurate. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, Executive Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), said Sierra Leone has not been awarded the rights to host the 2099 AFCON. There is also no official announcement from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to support the claim.
CAF typically initiates the bidding process 3–4 years before the tournament. The recent process for the 2025/2027 tournament, and the current process for 2028, indicate the following timeline. CAF sends a circular to Member Associations requesting expressions of interest. For instance, bidding for 2028/2032/2036 opened in December 2025. Countries submit formal bids, government guarantees, and infrastructure plans (stadiums, hotels, transport). CAF inspectors visit bidding countries to assess stadium readiness, security, and infrastructure.
Subsequently, the CAF Executive Committee meets to vote and announce the winner. Based on the currently obtainable processes, the 2099 AFCON will not be announced in 2026.
Furthermore, the country’s main stadium, the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown, is currently under renovation and has not been completed, contrary to the information provided in the viral post.
Some details on the viral image also raise red flags. The name “Sheka Steven Stadium” is incorrect, as the official name is “Siaka Stevens Stadium.” The structure in the image appears overly polished and digitally enhanced, with design elements that do not align with the stadium’s current state.
DUBAWA analysed the image using AI detection tools, and we found that it had been artificially generated. Visual inconsistencies, including unrealistic lighting, uniform textures, and overly perfect symmetry, suggest that it was created using artificial intelligence rather than captured at a real location.
Conclusion:
The claim that Sierra Leone will host the 2099 AFCON is misleading. There is no official confirmation from CAF or national authorities to support this, and the image of the national stadium is AI-generated.