State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang has revealed that Phase Two of the Mandela National Stadium renovation will cost $60 million (about Shs225 billion) to meet standards set by the Confederation of African Football.
The second phase of works, which will again be handled by the UPDF Engineering Brigade, follows an earlier phase that cost $25 million (about Shs97.9 billion).
This development comes after a recent CAF inspection report showed that none of Uganda’s stadiums currently meet the requirements to host the Africa Cup of Nations, Africa’s biggest football competition.
Under Phase Two, the stadium’s capacity will be increased from just over 40,000 to 60,000 seats. The upgrade will also include construction of a modern hotel, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, an indoor multi-purpose arena, and installation of a fully covered roof. The VIP section will be expanded to accommodate up to nine heads of state, while dressing rooms will be moved to the western wing. New media centres and mixed zones are also planned.
Meanwhile, Ogwang said SUMMA, the contractor that built Hoima City Stadium, has returned to fix issues highlighted in the CAF inspection. He emphasised that the government will not incur additional costs, as the repairs fall under the initial contract.
He added that all works are expected to be completed before CAF conducts another inspection in August 2026, expressing confidence that Uganda will be ready to co-host the 2027 AFCON alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
