AFCON Blow! Uganda’s Dream In Jeopardy As CAF Rejects All Stadiums, Including Namboole

By Swift Reporter

Uganda’s preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations have suffered a major setback after the Confederation of African Football declared all four of the country’s proposed venues ineligible, raising concerns about readiness with just over a year to the tournament.

The report, released following a February 2026 inspection, found that Uganda’s stadiums fall short of required Category 4 standards, citing serious gaps in infrastructure, safety and operational readiness.

The development has triggered sharp debate in Parliament, with Opposition Leader Joel Ssenyonyi demanding urgent government accountability over billions of shillings already spent on the facilities.

“We’ve poured nearly UGX 500 billion into Hoima, commissioned it with fanfare, yet it does not meet required standards,” Ssenyonyi told the House. “This raises serious questions about planning and use of public funds.”

Among the most affected projects is Hoima City Stadium, which was commissioned in December 2025 after significant government investment. The CAF report recommends partial demolition of sections deemed substandard.

The Mandela National Stadium, commonly known as Namboole, also faces major compliance gaps despite undergoing renovations worth hundreds of billions of shillings. Meanwhile, construction of Aki-Bua Stadium in Lira remains far behind schedule, with only about 30 percent of the work completed.

Training facilities at Makerere University, Kyambogo University and Wankulukuku Stadium were also flagged as not meeting international standards.

Uganda is set to co-host the tournament alongside Kenya and Tanzania, with matches scheduled for January 2027. However, the latest findings have cast doubt on whether the country will be ready in time.

Responding to concerns, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja assured Parliament that the government is working to address the shortcomings.

“We are discussing the report at Cabinet level and will bridge all the gaps in time,” she said, expressing confidence that Uganda will meet CAF requirements.

But Ssenyonyi dismissed the assurances as insufficient, calling for a detailed report outlining how the government plans to meet the standards within the remaining timeframe.

Speaker Anita Among urged caution in the debate, noting that Parliament should await a formal government report before drawing conclusions.

The stadium concerns come amid broader safety and infrastructure issues. Soroti Woman MP Joan Alobo recently called for the removal of asbestos from public facilities following a March incident in Lira, where a structure collapsed during a football match, injuring three spectators.

Alobo blamed negligence and warned that such risks could undermine Uganda’s ability to host international events safely.

The joint hosting rights for AFCON 2027 were awarded to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in 2024, with expectations that the tournament could generate significant economic benefits. However, delays and compliance issues now threaten those prospects.

With costs for stadium development already exceeding UGX 1.3 trillion, pressure is mounting on the government to fast-track works and meet CAF’s strict requirements.

Failure to do so could not only affect Uganda’s role in the tournament but also risk reputational damage and the loss of anticipated revenues tied to one of Africa’s biggest sporting events.