Uganda has earmarked 60 million US dollars (approximately 225 billion shillings) for Phase Two of the redevelopment of Mandela National Stadium, as the country intensifies preparations to meet Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang, confirmed that government has already secured the funding and is in the final stages of contracting the UPDF Engineering Brigade to execute the works.
The second phase of renovations will include the addition of approximately 8,000 seats, increasing the stadium’s capacity to 45,000.
The upgrades are also expected to cover key areas such as pitch quality, roofing, floodlighting, media infrastructure, and overall spectator experience—facilities CAF considers mandatory for hosting major continental tournaments.
Uganda is jointly preparing to host AFCON 2027 alongside Kenya and Tanzania, placing added urgency on the timely completion of infrastructure projects.
However, a recent CAF inspection report highlighted significant compliance gaps at Namboole, raising concerns about the country’s readiness.
Phase Two of the redevelopment is expected to address these shortcomings through both structural and aesthetic improvements.
CAF has scheduled its next inspection mission for August 2026, where progress will be assessed against several benchmarks.
These include adoption of a revised upgrade plan aligned with AFCON timelines, confirmation of the contractor and construction schedule, visible commencement of structural works, and detailed plans for hospitality areas such as skyboxes.
Inspectors will also evaluate improvements in spectator movement and media facilities, with a requirement that at least 50 percent of the necessary works be completed by the time of the visit.
Mandela National Stadium, commonly known as Namboole, was originally constructed between 1993 and 1996 with a grant of 36 million US dollars from China.
