Uganda Sports Minister Acknowledges Stadium Gaps After CAF AFCON 2027 Inspection

The State Minister for Sports in Uganda, Peter Ogwang, has shed more light on the recent report from the Confederation of African Football ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

CAF revealed that none of the stadiums proposed by co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) currently meet the required standards.

In February, a CAF delegation led by Dr Christian Emeruwa (Head of Safety & Security) and Stephanie Totokra (Head of Infrastructure) visited the three East African nations to assess their readiness.

The report noted that the "AFCON PAMOJA 2027 infrastructure programme across the three host nations is currently in a construction, upgrading and corrective phase."

With inspectors scheduled to return in August, the host nations face a critical period to address the identified shortcomings.

Uganda’s Sports Minister stated that the government had formally invited CAF to assess the condition of key facilities, including Mandela National Stadium and Hoima Stadium, as part of preparations for AFCON 2027.

He acknowledged that the inspection highlighted several shortcomings, particularly at the Hoima site, noting that these concerns had already been communicated to the contractor, SUMMA.

Peter Ogwang added that engagements between the authorities and the contractor were ongoing, with efforts being intensified to resolve the identified issues within the required timeframe.

The minister expressed confidence that the necessary improvements would be completed ahead of the next CAF inspection, ensuring the venues meet the required standards.

“I would like to confirm that last month, we requested CAF to come and conduct an assessment of the state of our sports facilities- @mandelastadium and @HoimaStadium as part of the quality control & assurance measure ahead of the AFCON 2027,” Peter Ogwang shared in a tweet.

“It is true that CAF, in their report, cited a few gaps, specifically on Hoima Stadium and such gaps have been brought to the attention of the contractor-SUMMA. Indeed, the contractor has since held several meetings with us and has hands on deck to ensure that the issues raised are addressed in due course to the satisfaction of the CAF requirements and standards before the next inspection in August this year.”

The minister added that challenges related to broader infrastructure, including transport and hospitality, fall under other government sectors, noting that an inter-ministerial effort led by Janet Museveni had already secured cabinet approval for additional funding to address those areas.

Peter Ogwang reassured the public that the Ugandan government, in collaboration with its regional partners under the East Africa Pamoja initiative, remains fully committed to delivering a successful AFCON 2027 tournament.

“On other infrastructural gaps, such as airports, roads and hotels, which are outside the ambit of the Education and Sports sector, the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon @JanetMuseveni, who is the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for AFCON, submitted a cabinet paper where the government agreed to provide additional resources to address such challenges,” he added.

“I want to reassure the public that the government of Uganda, together with Kenya and Tanzania, under the "East Africa Pamoja" bid, is fully committed to ensuring that the AFCON 2027 campaign is a success.”

Similar to Kenya, Uganda's infrastructure program is in a "mixed phase of construction, upgrading and operational redesign," with no proposed stadiums currently meeting CAF's Category 4 requirements.

Mandela National Stadium, Namboole: The report noted that the ongoing renovation lacks a clear master plan and has not fully addressed previous CAF recommendations.

Hoima City Stadium: This new stadium requires an "operational redesign" to align with tournament standards.

Buhinga Stadium: Still in the design phase, with no construction yet started.

Uganda's proposed training sites, including those at Makerere University and St. Mary's Stadium Kitende, also need substantial upgrades to their pitches and facilities to be considered compliant.

The readiness of training infrastructure across the proposed host clusters in Hoima and Kampala is inconsistent. CAF's report noted that many suggested training sites are not compliant with its standards and will require significant rehabilitation or new development. Key challenges include poor pitch quality, inadequate floodlighting, and a lack of proper changing rooms.

Furthermore, the inspection team did not visit Akii Bua Stadium, leaving its status and suitability unassessed in the current report.

Beyond the stadiums, Uganda's ability to host the tournament successfully depends heavily on its supporting infrastructure. The report expressed uncertainty regarding several critical elements of the broader tournament ecosystem, particularly outside the capital, Kampala.

Major areas of concern include the readiness of airports, the capacity and quality of available hotels, and the reliability of transport links connecting the host cities. These logistical components are considered crucial for a successful tournament but currently present significant exposure risks.

The CAF inspection team is scheduled to return to the region in August, by which time the host nations are expected to have addressed the identified areas of concern.