Peter Ogwang Confident Uganda Will Be Ready for AFCON 2027 Despite CAF Concerns

Uganda’s sports minister, Peter Ogwang, has assured all stakeholders that everything will be ready ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had flagged several issues about the stadiums in Uganda. CAF noted that none of Uganda’s proposed AFCON 2027 stadiums meet CAF Category 4 requirements, with preparations still ongoing across multiple fronts.

Hoima City Stadium, though structurally complete, has major operational flaws, including poor segregation of spectators, non-compliant dressing rooms, inadequate media facilities, and design issues affecting movement and visibility.

Mandela National Stadium requires extensive upgrades, such as partial demolition, expansion, and roof replacement, with CAF urging a revised plan to meet timelines. Akii Bua Stadium was not inspected during the assessment.

Training infrastructure remains inconsistent, particularly in Hoima and Kampala, with several facilities falling short due to poor pitch conditions, lack of lighting, and incomplete technical areas.

Beyond stadiums, critical supporting infrastructure such as Hoima Airport, hotel capacity, road networks, and medical services also present significant gaps. CAF is expected to reassess progress during a follow-up inspection in August.

Uganda’s sports minister explained that the CAF inspection had highlighted concerns regarding the current placement of team seating areas, noting that their position was affecting spectators’ ability to clearly follow the match.

Peter Ogwang said the inspectors had advised adopting a more suitable technical setup, with enclosed structures recommended to improve both functionality and fan experience.

He added that CAF was in the process of developing a standardised design to address the issue, and the government would review and approve the proposed adjustments once they align with national requirements.

The minister further pointed out that the report also raised logistical concerns, particularly around the positioning of team transport, stressing that dedicated parking zones would need to be established at a distance from key competition areas in line with technical guidelines.

“Another issue which was identified within the CAF report was again the question of the bench for players. CAF said the bench is interfering with some of the fans from watching the game. According to them, they have recommended that they need to have a bench of players put in a dugout,” Peter Ogwang told UBC Uganda.

“The contracts at CAF are coming up with a specific design on how that will be done, and for us as a client, we wait for the adjustments to be made, which suit us as a government.

“The other issue which was identified was also on what we call, of course, some of these are technical issues according to them, that they needed a specific area where the buses for the players must be parked away from the site of that area.”

Uganda’s sports minister explained that significant groundwork had already been undertaken at the site, including deep excavation by the contractor, and noted that discussions were ongoing between CAF and the construction team to determine suitable arrangements for high-profile guests’ vehicles.

Peter Ogwang said the intention was to ensure that designated areas within the stadium are used appropriately, particularly by reserving specific zones for team arrivals and ensuring their buses are accommodated in an organised and secure manner.

He emphasised that these concerns were part of the broader observations raised during the inspection and maintained that they were largely technical and manageable.

The minister expressed confidence that the issues could be resolved within the given timeframe, suggesting that there was no reason to doubt the country’s ability to meet the required standards before the tournament.

“You know, the contractor had to dig about 30 meters deep. So now, CAF and the contractor are agreeing on where the vehicles of the VVIPs will be parked, so that the specific area, which is already designated in the stadium, will be reserved for when they drive in the teams to come and their buses remain in that as a designated area,” he added.

“All those are issues which CAF raise. So, if I may ask a simple question, fundamentally, to the people of Uganda, the issues I've talked about, do they warrant telling us that we shall fail to correct them in one and a half years?

“It is not true that FUFA has not been part of the construction of Hoima City Stadium, and I am reliably informed that the National Council of Sports has been facilitating FUFA to go and supervise this facility.”