Overview:
Makerere University, Kyambogo University, FUFA Kadiba Stadium, and the outside pitch at Namboole form the cluster of training grounds to support the Mandela National Stadium during AFCON next year, in much the same way the Hoima City Stadium and Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium will have four-pitch clusters of their own.
A standard training ground with a running athletics track, 1700 seater Pavilion stand, floodlights and parking yard will be constructed at Makerere University by the UPDF Engineering Brigade on behalf of the Government of Uganda
The official commissioning of the site will be done by the First Lady who is also the Minister of Education and Sports Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni in the coming weeks.
Upon completion, the Makerere University training ground will be one of the facilities that will be used by teams at the AFCON 2027 alongside Namboole (Annex), Kyambogo University, FUFA Kadiba Stadium, Mutesa II Wankulukuku stadium and Hoima (Annex).
On Wednesday, 11th February 2026, the National Council of Sports (NCS) and Makerere University officially handed over the Makerere University Sports Grounds to the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade.
NCS Chairman Ambrose Tashobya and Makerere University Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe handed over the site to the Engineering Brigade’s Lt. Col. Engineer Peter Sseku Kidemuka, the Project Manager.
“This is a milestone to Makerere University that we have attained to have a standard sports facility constructed by the Government of Uganda. This is a facility that will be used by both the students community and general public” Professor Nawangwe remarked.
UPDF is thus tasked to transform the site into a CAF-certified ground under eight months.
As has been the case with all the AFCON related infrastructure being constructed in this period, the UPDF will be supervised by the Ministry of Works and Transport, for whom the Commissioner Public Structures Arch. Dr Edward Ssimbwa and Project Manager Arch. Andrew Nsamba were present at the the handover.
As is mandated, the NCS are the client, and in that regard Chairman Tashobya was in the company of General Secretary Dr Bernard Patrick Ogwel, and his Top Management Team for the highly symbolic function at Makerere University.
“We are honoured to handover the Makerere University land to UPDF. We have confidence and trust that the UPDF will deliver the best work within the given time frame. We are humbled for the support from the Government of Uganda” Tashobya remarked.
The transformation will include a football and rugby training pitch, a running track, a 1,700 seater pavilion, modern dressing rooms, floodlights, as well upgraded power and water support facilities, to cost government of Uganda Shs 21, 862,855,273.
“UPDF is a fully professional body ready to do professional work. With the availability of funds, we shall work full-time day and night and hand over the work within the time expected. We shall also construct a bore hole to ensure steady flow of water to irrigate the grass.There are fruits to show from our previous work as the Namboole renovation, Kyambogo University training ground and the many projects who have handled in the Government schools under the ministry of education and sports” Lt. Col Kidemuka asserted.
Makerere University, Kyambogo University, FUFA Kadiba Stadium, and the outside pitch at Namboole form the cluster of training grounds to support the Mandela National Stadium during AFCON next year, in much the same way the Hoima City Stadium and Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium will have four-pitch clusters of their own.
Government of Uganda also plans to uplift a number of stadia across the country as the Hoima Boma stadium, Masindi Municipal stadium, Sir Tito Owinyi, Gulu University, Lira University and the Gulu Pece Stadium, among others.
