Hoima City Stadium is set to host its first-ever football match, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s sports infrastructure development ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The 20,000-seater, state-of-the-art facility will be officially opened on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 (Christmas Eve), with football fans expected to witness a thrilling curtain-raiser featuring Kitara FC versus KCCA FC, as Hoima welcomes top-flight football for the first time.
Ahead of the grand opening, construction firm SUMMA has formally handed over control of the stadium to the National Council of Sports (NCS), paving the way for final preparations and the commissioning by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The handover was conducted under the supervision of the Ministry of Works and Transport through the AFCON Infrastructure Committee.
The technical handover was overseen by the Ministry of Works and Transport Permanent Secretary, Bageya Waiswa, marking the completion of one of Uganda’s flagship AFCON 2027 projects. Built to CAF and FIFA standards, Hoima City Stadium is a key pillar of Uganda’s co-hosting responsibilities alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
Beyond the main football arena, the complex boasts a top-grade natural grass pitch, a 2,000-seater indoor arena, training grounds, a semi-Olympic-sized swimming pool, and outdoor courts for basketball, volleyball and netball. These facilities are expected to position Hoima as a new national hub for both elite and grassroots sports development.
Officials have described the stadium as a landmark achievement for the Bunyoro sub-region, noting its transformation from bushland into one of the most modern sports facilities in the country. The National Council of Sports has hailed the project as “the ultimate Christmas gift to Uganda’s sports fraternity.”
The USD 131 million project (approximately Shs484 billion) is expected to stimulate sports tourism and broader economic activity in Hoima and surrounding areas.
With the handover complete and the countdown underway, all eyes now turn to Hoima City Stadium as it prepares to blow the first whistle and usher in a new chapter in Uganda’s football and sporting history.
