Government Gives Major Update as Uganda Pushes AFCON 2027 Stadium Preparations

Uganda's Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, has assured Parliament that the stadiums designated for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be ready by the start of June 2027.

Speaking during a plenary session on Wednesday, Nabbanja confirmed that the Cabinet has reviewed a report from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which identified several areas where the proposed venues fall short of tournament standards.

"Cabinet discussed the report, and we have put in place measures to fulfil all the necessary requirements to have Uganda co-host the tournament," she stated.

To meet CAF's hosting criteria, Uganda must provide two stadiums with a 40,000-seat capacity, two with a 20,000-seat capacity, and two with a 15,000-seat capacity.

The primary venues for the tournament will be the renovated Mandela National Stadium (Namboole) in Kampala and the newly constructed Hoima City Stadium.

Although Hoima Stadium is built, recent inspections revealed that both it and Namboole require significant upgrades to achieve the strict CAF Category Four certification. These improvements include enhancements to seating, lighting, and accessibility.

In February 2024, President Yoweri Museveni instructed Minister of State for Sports Peter Ogwang to assess various training grounds and amenities for their suitability during the AFCON tournament.

The selection of these facilities was based on their current condition and their proximity to the main stadiums. The training grounds under consideration near Namboole include the Namboole Training Grounds, Kyambogo University football field, Muteesa II Stadium-Wankulukuku, and the Makerere University football field.

Additionally, several sites near Nakivubo Stadium have been proposed, including Lugogo Stadium, Makindye Military Officers' Mess Grounds, Old Kampala Secondary School Grounds, and Kadiba Stadium.