News of the Enterprise Cup semifinal venue changing from Wankulukuku to the King’s Park Arena was well received by the neutrals and Black Pirates fans alike.
The Black Pirates are unbeaten at the King’s Park Arena (KPA) since uncharacteristically losing to the Kampani Eagles in the 2023 Uganda Cup group phase, and the news comes as a big boost to the players, who will be playing on familiar turf, but the fans too, who have since called KPA home.
This won’t be the first time for KPA to host international rugby fixtures. The Bweyogerere facility has hosted Kenya and Zambia in the 2023 Victoria Cup and the Elgon Cup in November 2024.
The Black Pirates Fans Representative, Daniel Abaasa, perfectly captured the thoughts, feelings and excitement of the fans.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have the game return to Kings Park Arena, the true home of the Stanbic Black Pirates. It’s a ground that holds great familiarity and energy for both our players and our passionate fanbase, and that connection always brings out something special on match day,” he said.
The environment and aura at KPA is something the fans are always looking forward to. The Rugby Chill Events, run by players Isaac Massa and Nathan Bwambale, fondly nicknamed Abitex and Bajjo after popular local events promoters, have mastered the art of curating an afterparty that leaves fans and revellers looking forward to the next game day.
All this, coupled with the good form the Pirates are in, further solidifies the confidence the fans have in their team, which explains the excitement.
“Beyond just the club, this is a big moment for Ugandan rugby as a whole. We’re expecting a highly competitive, high-quality game that showcases the very best of what our sport has to offer.
“The excitement is real, and we’re ready to turn Kings Park Arena into an unforgettable atmosphere on the 11th of April,” noted Abaasa, who is also the acting Business Development Manager at the club.
More fans took to the social media platform, X, to express their joy, but one fan, David Iribagiza, intimated to me what this news means to him.
“I’m pretty much confident in the boys’ (Pirates) ability to pull this off. I believe what we are witnessing is a success-hungry Pirates team that will beat the Nondies and hosting the game at KPA is icing on that cake,” he noted.
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