The Federation of Uganda Soccer Associations (FUFA) has accepted seven stadiums and rejected eight others following the completion of the stadium evaluation train carried out as a part of the membership licensing course of forward of the 2026/27 season.
The evaluation, carried out by the FUFA Membership Licensing Committee, sought to find out whether or not venues meet the minimal infrastructure, security and operational requirements required to host top-flight soccer matches in Uganda.
In response to the findings launched by FUFA, solely seven stadiums met the required benchmarks and have been cleared to host matches through the upcoming marketing campaign. These embody St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende, Hamz Stadium-Nakivubo, Mutesa II Stadium in Wankulukuku, Kiira Police Area, Lugazi Stadium, FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru and Rwamwanja Stadium in Kamwenge.
Nonetheless, eight venues didn’t safe approval after inspectors recognized numerous shortcomings starting from poor enjoying surfaces to insufficient services for gamers, officers, followers and the media.
The rejected venues are Bugonga Fisheries Floor, MTN Omondi Stadium, Luzira Prisons Floor, Royal’s Park Butema, Kigezi Al-Madina Floor, Mbale Metropolis Stadium, Bombo Barracks Floor and Ebenezer College Floor.
A typical development among the many non-approved stadiums was poor pitch circumstances, with a number of venues having naked patches and requiring in depth turf upkeep, together with levelling, mowing, rolling and grass planting. Insufficient drainage methods additionally emerged as a serious concern, elevating fears of flooding through the wet season.
The inspection report additional highlighted deficiencies in dressing rooms, technical benches and sanitary services, with many stadiums missing devoted medical rooms for gamers and match officers.
A number of grounds had been additionally discovered wanting by way of safety and media infrastructure. A lot of the rejected venues don’t have media working areas, whereas some lack perimeter fencing, fan segregation and safe entry routes for gamers from dressing rooms to the sector of play.
Specific concern was raised over the state of MTN Omondi Stadium, whose synthetic enjoying floor was described as considerably worn out, particularly within the goalmouth areas the place it poses a severe threat of harm to gamers. The stadium’s floodlighting system was additionally discovered to be beneath the minimal necessities, averaging solely 503 lux.
Royal’s Park Butema, residence to Kitara FC, was faulted for its uneven enjoying floor, insufficient dressing room services and overgrown environment, whereas Bombo Barracks Floor was cited for poor sanitary services, lack of fan separation and the absence of a media working space.
Ebenezer College Floor and Kigezi Al-Madina Floor had been among the many venues with probably the most important shortcomings, missing fundamental infrastructure equivalent to dressing rooms, technical benches and perimeter fencing.
The publication of the inspection outcomes now locations strain on the affected golf equipment and stadium homeowners to undertake the required renovations and enhancements if they’re to safe approval to host matches through the forthcoming season.
The membership licensing course of types a part of FUFA’s broader efforts to enhance soccer infrastructure requirements throughout the nation and be certain that match venues present a secure {and professional} surroundings for all stakeholders.
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