Excitement is reaching a fever pitch across the Bunyoro sub-region as the newly constructed Hoima City Stadium prepares to host its first-ever international football match. The Uganda Cranes will face Libya in a highly anticipated 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixture this Tuesday at 7:00 PM.
Both national teams touched down on Sunday at Kabalega International Airport in Hoima District, setting the stage for a landmark event. While Uganda has already secured automatic qualification for AFCON 2027 as a co-host alongside Kenya and Tanzania, the Cranes are playing the qualifiers to maintain competitive sharpness ahead of the continental showpiece.
For local fans, this fixture is far more than a routine qualifier—it represents a monumental shift in Ugandan football. This clash marks the first time a competitive Uganda Cranes international fixture is being played outside the Kampala metropolitan area (excluding regional CECAFA tournaments), signaling a major step toward decentralizing the national game.
Local residents and football enthusiasts have expressed overwhelming pride in the milestone:
Geofrey Tumwesige, a Hoima City resident, described the match as a historic milestone that finally gives locals the chance to watch their national heroes compete live on home soil.
Joseph Kirumira urged the community not to miss out on the occasion, calling the stadium’s international debut an unmissable spectacle.
Michael Akugizibwe rallied fans to flood the stands, saying, “This is a golden opportunity for Bunyoro. We must turn out in massive numbers to back the Cranes as our true home team.”
Rogers Ahumuza commended the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) for bringing the long-awaited fixture to Hoima, calling on all Ugandans to embrace the historic moment.
Constructed by international contractor SUMMA, the $129 million, 20,000-seat multi-purpose stadium was fully funded by the government through Uganda’s Petroleum Fund, utilizing revenues from the region’s oil and gas resources. Sprawling across 34 acres in Kyarwiru Cell, Hoima East Division, the state-of-the-art facility is fully compliant with strict FIFA and CAF international standards.
The stadium boasts elite, modern amenities designed to host major global events, including:a premium hybrid football pitch, dedicated training grounds, and a state-of-the-art Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room,modern locker rooms equipped with in-house gyms, referee rooms, and official FIFA and CAF administrative offices, Luxury VVIP hospitality sections, advanced media conference halls, an expansive media gallery, and secure parking for nearly 1,000 vehicles and Multi-Sport Facilities: An indoor sports arena, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, alongside outdoor volleyball and basketball courts.
As Hoima opens its doors to thousands of fans, players, officials, and international media, Tuesday’s Uganda-Libya encounter serves as the ultimate dress rehearsal. It offers an early, crucial test of the stadium’s operational capacity ahead of AFCON 2027, while giving the people of Bunyoro a front-row seat to world-class football right on their doorstep.
