Nairobi, Aug 27 (IANS): Visiting Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) President Issa Hiyatou has said he was confident that Kenya was capable of hosting the Africa Nations Championship in 2018.

Hiyatou, who on Friday held talks in Nairobi with Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto, said hosting the tournament in Nairobi would enable the youth to showcase their talent in football, reports Xinhua.

"The tournament will give the locals the opportunity to exploit their talents in the field of football," Hayatou said according to a statement issued from Ruto's office.

"We started this tournament in 2009 to provide strong foundation for the development of football in Africa," he added.

Speaking during the meeting, Ruto said preparations to host the tournament were progressing well, adding that the country was working round the clock to complete its infrastructure in time for the success of the biennial tournament.

Ruto said the government recognises the role played by sporting activities in the development of the country.

"Kenya appreciates the opportunity to host the 2018 Africa Nations Championship. We will do everything possible to ensure the championship is held professionally," said Ruto.

He said despite the challenges the country has had in football, it has put in place the necessary steps to ensure it reverses the trend and exploit the talent among the youth.

"Kenya is a great sporting nation. We have faced challenges in the management of football in the country in the past, but we have corrected that and put the necessary steps in place to ensure we exploit the talent among our youth and strengthen football," Ruto added.

He said the government will do all it can to ensure the stadia to be used during the competition comply with the international requirements.