{"id":11022,"date":"2026-04-04T13:40:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T13:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/?p=11022"},"modified":"2026-04-04T15:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T15:00:06","slug":"afcon-2027-mps-flags-major-gaps-in-stadium-readiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/2026\/04\/04\/afcon-2027-mps-flags-major-gaps-in-stadium-readiness\/","title":{"rendered":"AFCON 2027: MPS Flags Major Gaps In Stadium Readiness"},"content":{"rendered":"

By URN<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Uganda\u2019s multi-billion shilling push to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is facing intensifying scrutiny after Parliament exposed critical infrastructure shortfalls.<\/p>\n

This raises fresh fears that the country could fall short of continental standards barely fifteen months before kick-off.<\/p>\n

At the centre of the storm is a February 2026 inspection by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which reportedly found that none of Uganda\u2019s key match venues currently meet the stringent category 4 requirements, the benchmark for hosting major international tournaments.<\/p>\n

Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi\u00a0has pressed the government to explain how facilities commissioned or under construction at enormous public cost still fall below required standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are not minor gaps,\u201d Ssenyonyi told Parliament. \u201cHoima was commissioned last year, but falls short. Namboole still has major deficiencies. Akii Bua is only 30 percent complete. What standards were followed in the first place?\u201d<\/p>\n

Uganda is part of the historic \u201cPamoja\u201d bid alongside Kenya and Tanzania,\u00a0the first joint AFCON hosting arrangement in East Africa.<\/p>\n

But while its partners are largely upgrading existing facilities, Uganda has taken a more capital-intensive route, investing heavily in new stadium construction.<\/p>\n

Parliament heard that Uganda has committed more than 1.3 trillion Shillings (approximately $350 million), partly drawn from the Petroleum Fund, toward stadium construction and upgrades.\u00a0Yet key facilities remain below CAF standards.<\/p>\n

For instance,\u00a0Hoima City Stadium, whose construction costs 500 billion Shillings, is structurally advanced but lacking proper spectator segregation, safe movement channels for players and officials, modern media infrastructure, and compliant viewing angles.<\/p>\n

Despite over 346 billion Shillings spent on renovation, critical elements at the\u00a0Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, such as hospitality suites, skyboxes, and crowd flow systems, remain incomplete, with an additional 225 billion Shillings approved for Phase II.<\/p>\n

Also, only about 30 percent of the Akii Bua Olympic Stadium, Lira, being constructed at 470 billion Shillings, is\u00a0complete and yet to undergo a full CAF technical assessment.<\/p>\n

Training venues, including Makerere University grounds, Kyambogo University facilities, and Wankulukuku Stadium, were also flagged as substandard.<\/p>\n

CAF Category 4 requirements demand strict compliance with safety, pitch quality, broadcast facilities, security zoning, and accessibility under its Stadium Infrastructure Regulations, standards Uganda must meet to host group-stage and knockout matches.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja maintained that the government remains on track. \u201cWe shall be ready for AFCON 2027,\u201d Nabbanja told MPs during a heated sitting on April 1, 2026. \u201cThe gaps identified will be addressed within the timelines. Progress is steady.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Ssenyonyi dismissed the assurances as vague, demanding detailed timelines, cost implications, and clarity on whether additional public funds will be required.<\/p>\n

Speaker Anita Among cautioned against speculation in the absence of a formally tabled CAF report but directed the government to present a comprehensive update to Parliament by 21 April.<\/p>\n

The controversy has also triggered questions about compliance with Uganda\u2019s legal and policy framework governing public expenditure.<\/p>\n

Ssenyonyi cited the Public Finance Management Act, 2015, which requires prudent, transparent, and accountable use of public resources, warning that redesigning or demolishing recently completed works could amount to wasteful expenditure.<\/p>\n

Oversight responsibilities further fall under the National Council of Sports and Uganda\u2019s broader National Sports Policy, while the pending National Sports Bill seeks to tighten governance and infrastructure standards.<\/p>\n

Beyond infrastructure compliance, safety concerns are mounting.\u00a0Lira District Woman MP Joan Alobo raised alarm over a recent stadium incident during a FUFA Drum match, where a roof collapse injured several fans, including one who required brain surgery at Lacor Hospital.<\/p>\n

Alobo urged immediate removal of hazardous materials such as asbestos in public sports facilities and called on the Ministry of Health to address gaps in emergency response systems, issues that directly intersect with CAF\u2019s safety requirements for host nations.<\/p>\n

Uganda is not alone in facing scrutiny. Reports indicate that both Kenya and Tanzania have also been flagged for gaps, though their reliance on upgrading existing infrastructure may give them a cost and timeline advantage.<\/p>\n

With a crucial CAF follow-up inspection scheduled for August 2026, Uganda faces a narrow window to align its infrastructure with international standards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By URN Uganda\u2019s multi-billion shilling push to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is facing intensifying scrutiny after Parliament exposed critical infrastructure shortfalls. This raises fresh fears that the country could fall short of continental standards barely fifteen months before kick-off. At the centre of the storm is a February 2026 inspection by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,11,15],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-11022","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-bunyoro","7":"category-business","8":"category-national","9":"category-sports"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11022"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11029,"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11022\/revisions\/11029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spicemedia.ug\/spicefm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}