Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Football Club confirmed the change of venue from Mandela National Stadium, Namboole to the Arena of Visions, Bombo effective the second round of the 2019 – 2020 Uganda Premier League.
“URA FC will host all its StarTimes Uganda Premier League home matches at Ndejje University Stadium, Arena Of Visions in Bombo” a statement on the official club website reads.
During the first half of the season, the tax collectors used to host their home matches at the gigantic Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, a fortress where they shifted since departing the Mehta Stadium, Lugazi in 2018.
“The change of venue is due to the non-avoidable circumstances from Mandela National Stadium that hosts various activities and in one way or the other affects URA FC planning as seen in the last stages of the first round where URA FC had to host its last three games at Bombo Military Barracks ground” the statement continued.
During the 2019 – 2020 season, Mandela National Stadium hosted eight of the 15 home games for the tax collectors’ club and three were hosted at the Bombo Military stadium as Namboole was closed down by management because of torrential rains.
The Arena of Visions will thus host the seven second round games of the 2019/20 season, starting with the Sports Club Villa contest on Tuesday 7 January 2020.
The facility though, has unsatisfactory dressing rooms and the hitherto “good” playing surface is often exposed by heavy rains.
Since the relegation of Ndejje University to the second tier FUFA Big League, the local communities with Ndejje and the greater Luweero periphery has been starved with top flight football.
Therefore, the decision by URA management to take the football team to Ndejje will further act to widen their fans’ base.
URA FC is currently 6th on the 16 team log with 20 points off 15 games played (only four wins, eight draws and three losses).
Founded in 2002 after merging with Lyantonde Football Club, URA has won the Uganda Premier League on four different counts in 2006, 2006–07, 2008–09 and lately 2010–11.
They have won the Uganda Cup thrice in 2005, 2011–12 and 2013–14.
On the continent, URA FC has represented the country seven times, six in the CAF Champions League and once in the CAF Confederation Cup.
