The government has faced criticism for the delayed renovation works at Namboole Stadium. In 2020, the Confederation Association of Football (CAF) deemed the stadium too run-down for international events and shut it down.
A budget of Shs97 billion was approved by Parliament for the stadium’s renovation, and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) construction brigade was assigned to the project. However, the government held off on releasing the funds until August 2021 when Shs82 billion was finally made available, and the UPDF commenced the renovations.
Over the weekend, FUFA President Moses Magogo provided an update on the ongoing renovation. He revealed that the installation of new seats is currently in progress. These new seats will feature the national flag colours of Black, Yellow, and Red. The stadium management’s goal is to make the entire facility an all-seater stadium, which means they plan to install over 40,000 seats.
Magogo also mentioned that a specialized firm, hired by the UPDF, is doing an impressive job on the pitch. This will result in the stadium having natural grass, reportedly imported from England.
In addition to the seating and pitch improvements, other ongoing projects include the installation of floodlights and the finalization of the drainage system.
With the buzz surrounding the new-look Namboole stadium, a large turnout is expected when the stadium reopens in November.
Namboole is one of the stadiums that Uganda put forward as a potential host for the 2027 AFCON.