KAMPALA, September 2, 2026 — Uganda says it remains on track to complete its three host stadia for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] PAMOJA 2027 by December 31, 2026, about six months before the tournament kicks off on June 19, 2027.
The tournament will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
In a public update on preparations, the Uganda Local Organising Committee [LOC] said the country had made significant progress on the construction and upgrading of the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium, Hoima City Stadium and Mandela National Stadium.
CAF has recently concluded its second physical inspection of Uganda’s sports facilities, covering the three competition stadia and nine of the 12 designated training facilities.
The training facilities inspected included Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium Annex, Hoima City Stadium Annex, Mandela National Stadium Annex, Makerere University, Kyambogo University, FUFA Kadiba, Hoima Booma Grounds, Pece Memorial Stadium and Gulu University.
The LOC said Uganda expects all three main stadia and 10 of the 12 training facilities to be ready by the end of December 2026.
FUFA Kadiba and Sir Tito Winyi Senior Secondary School training facilities are expected to be completed by the end of January 2027 after being handed over to contractors later than the other facilities.
According to the LOC, the Government of Uganda has provided all the funding required for the development of the three stadia and nine additional training facilities.
A total of Shs 135.7 billion has been allocated to the training facilities, including Shs 21.9 billion for Makerere University, Shs 20.2 billion for Masindi King George Stadium and Shs 18.6 billion for Sir Tito Winyi Senior Secondary School.
Other allocations include Shs 16.5 billion for Kyambogo University, Shs 13.3 billion each for Hoima Booma, Pece Memorial Stadium, Gulu University and Lira University, and Shs 5.2 billion for FUFA Kadiba.
The LOC said remodelling works at Mandela National Stadium are progressing, with completion expected on December 31, 2026.
It commended the UPDF Civil Engineering Brigade, the main contractor for the Mandela National Stadium project, for its work on the stadium and the additional training facilities.
At Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium, construction progress has reached nearly 80 percent and is ahead of schedule, according to the committee.
Meanwhile, the LOC said nearly 95 percent of issues identified by CAF during its February 2026 inspection of Hoima City Stadium had been addressed.
The major outstanding work at the Hoima facility is the installation of a VVIP pedestrian bridge linking the VVIP parking area to the VVIP lounge.
Beyond infrastructure, preparations are also opening up business opportunities ahead of the continental tournament.
The LOC said 850 potential suppliers have registered to provide goods and services for AFCON 2027, with 650 already pre-qualified and the remaining applicants undergoing review.
CAF has also opened tenders for goods and services related to AFCON 2027 and is encouraging businesses from host countries to participate as part of efforts to promote local content while maintaining the tournament’s quality standards.
The LOC has encouraged companies to form consortiums or joint ventures where the scale of contracts requires greater capacity.
On tournament promotion, the committee said official public activation activities will begin after CAF finalises key branding elements.
These include the tournament logo, mascot and theme song.
CAF owns the commercial and brand rights for AFCON 2027 and is working with the three PAMOJA Local Organising Committees to develop branding templates and an activation roadmap.
Uganda’s LOC said the government had already provided resources required for AFCON 2027 operational activities, including promotional activities leading to the tournament.
Dr Dennis K. Mugimba, the Chairperson of the Communications and Promotion Sub-Committee, said Uganda continues to receive support from CAF as preparations intensify with about nine months remaining before the planned kick-off.
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