The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has raised red flags over Uganda’s newly built Hoima City Stadium, declaring that while the structure is complete, it falls short of operational standards required for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
In its February 2026 inspection report, CAF noted that the stadium suffers from major deficiencies, including poor segregation of spectators, cross‑circulation between VIPs, media and fans, non‑compliant dressing rooms, and inadequate media facilities.
Inspectors also highlighted that the mixed zone was incorrectly located within the competition area and that the current positioning of benches obstructs views from the stands.
“Significant operational reconfiguration is required to meet AFCON standards,” the report stated, underscoring that the stadium’s geographical location also limits buffer space for crowd management and logistics.
Uganda had hailed Hoima Stadium as a flagship project for AFCON 2027, but CAF’s findings suggest that the venue cannot yet be certified for competition matches.
The governing body has set August 2026 as a milestone deadline for Uganda to implement redesigned circulation plans, relocate the mixed zone, upgrade dressing rooms, and improve media infrastructure.
The report adds pressure on Uganda’s wider AFCON preparations, which also include upgrades at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala and rehabilitation of training grounds.
Supporting infrastructure such as Hoima Airport, hotel capacity, and road connectivity between Kampala and Hoima must also show measurable progress before the next CAF inspection.
For Uganda, the stakes are high: failure to meet CAF’s requirements could jeopardize its role in the historic East African “Pamoja” co‑hosting bid with Kenya and Tanzania.
