By Ngabo Amon
Uganda is yet to meet key stadium requirements for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) flagging major operational and infrastructure gaps ahead of the tournament.
A CAF assessment shows that as of February 2026, none of the proposed competition venues fully meets Category 4 standards, placing pressure on ongoing works and timelines.
The report highlights Hoima City Stadium and Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, as the main facilities under focus, both requiring urgent upgrades and operational fixes.
At Hoima, although construction is complete, CAF identified several critical shortcomings. These include poor segregation of spectators, cross movement between VIPs, media and fans, substandard dressing rooms, weak media facilities and limited operational space. The current positioning of team benches was also flagged for obstructing views from the stands.
CAF says the stadium will require significant operational redesign to meet tournament standards despite being structurally complete.
At Mandela National Stadium, the gaps are more extensive. The facility requires major upgrades, including partial demolition of the West Stand, structural expansion and roof replacement. However, CAF notes that the initial 15-month construction timeline does not align with AFCON 2027 delivery deadlines.
With time running, CAF has set August 2026 as a key inspection milestone to assess measurable progress.
By then, Hoima Stadium is expected to have fully addressed spectator flow, upgraded dressing rooms, relocated the mixed zone, improved media infrastructure and resolved visibility issues in the stands.
For Namboole, authorities are expected to present a revised upgrade plan, confirm contractors, and begin visible structural works, alongside plans to improve hospitality areas and media facilities.
CAF will also assess training infrastructure, requiring over 80 percent completion of designated training sites, proper lighting standards, and fully operational dressing rooms and technical areas.
Beyond stadiums, supporting infrastructure remains a critical concern. Uganda must demonstrate readiness of Hoima Airport to handle international arrivals, confirm adequate hotel capacity including at least five five-star facilities, and show progress on the Kampala-Hoima road corridor.
Emergency medical systems and designated referral hospitals must also be in place to meet tournament requirements.
CAF says detailed technical inspection reports have been shared, with progress in the coming months expected to determine Uganda’s readiness to host.
