Construction update on Uganda’s AFCON stadium rivalling Talanta Stadium [VIDEO]

The Hoima City Stadium in Uganda, which is currently under construction, continues to take shape, with the project at over 85 per cent according to Ugandan media.

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The facility is a brand-new, Ugandan government flagship project that is being constructed in anticipation of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Just like the Talanta Sports City Stadium in Kenya, Uganda began the construction of Hoima after Kenya and Tanzania won the bid to host the 2027 continental showpiece.

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The East African bordering nations also won the bid and successfully co-hosted the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) that was played in August.

According to a YouTube video by The Busy World, Hoima Stadium is in its final stages of completion, with the majority of work already complete.

The facility, which is expected to host 20,000 fans, consists of two stand tiers that have already been completed.

Additionally, seats on the stands have already been installed with a variety of sitting areas comprising different designs.

Just like the case at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Kenya, all the seats in the stadium have backrests as is required by CAF Stadium regulations, 2022 edition.

However, the seats in the VIP area will be foldable, unlike the ones in the regular section.

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In the higher VVIP category, the seats are sophisticated as they are the cushioned conference VIP seats that also come with a cup holder where guests can place their drinks as they enjoy action on the pitch.

While there are no videos yet of the Presidential box, it is expected to consist of even more luxurious seats that are placed spaciously to allow guests to move within the area without causing much disturbance to others.

Still in the VIP and VVIP area, the video by The Busy World shows that work is at an advanced stage to complete the lounges, which are located just behind the VVIP zone.

The installation of kitchen equipment, including the gas cooker area, kitchen work station and plumbing works, looks complete and only a small percentage of fittings are remaining even as works continue.

The guardrails at various sections of the stands have already been installed and are in accordance with safety procedures, including being spikeless and long enough to prevent falls.

On the playing field, the pitch continues to mature day by day. Works on the pitch began simultaneously with roofing works.

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The initial works involved excavation, drainage, base layer construction with compacted aggregate and finally the installation of the natural grass.

The pitch is expected to be marked to measure between 100m and 110m in length and 64m and 75m in width as recommended by CAF.

The pitch must also be smooth and level, and the grass must also mature to cover the whole pitch with a grass height of between 20mm and 30mm.

On to the roofing, works are also complete, with the installation of a canopy covering the whole spectator area already complete.

On the roofing structures, the stadium floodlights that will be used for evening and night games have been installed, and in line with CAF requirements, for category four stadiums like Hoima, the horizontal illuminance should be between 1200-200 Lux.

The walling of the stadium, which was also designed to authentically reflect the national colours of Uganda, is complete.

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According to a Video on X (formerly Twitter) by Ugandan Digital Journalist Erich Mboowa, the lights at the stadium and the names are beautifully visible even at night.

The video also shows part of the almost complete parking area, which, according to previous online videos, is now undergoing landscaping for beautification purposes.

The stadium, whose construction began in September 2024, is located in the oil-rich Albertine region and is fully funded by Uganda’s Petroleum Fund.

The facility, which is being constructed by Turkish firm Summa Construction, will cost $131 million (approximately Ugx 470 billion and Ksh16.9 billion).

Apart from the main stadium, the facility will also consist of a 2,000-seater indoor arena for indoor sports like basketball and volleyball, a semi-Olympic-sized swimming pool, multiple outdoor courts and a training ground.

The Hoima Sports City Stadium is now in line to be ready by 31 December, which is set as the expected date of completion.