The Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, has given her approval for an extension of the completion date for the renovation of Mandela National Stadium. The initial deadline of August 1st has now been pushed to November 30th, 2023.

This decision comes after Minister Museveni conducted a recent inspection of the stadium, accompanied by officials from her ministry and representatives from the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA). During the inspection, it was confirmed that the stadium would not be ready by the original deadline of August 1st.

The renovation plan for Mandela National Stadium includes several crucial upgrades. These upgrades encompass the integration of a state-of-the-art ticketing and access control system, the installation of solar lighting to reduce utility costs, and the establishment of an efficient drainage and irrigation system.

In April, FUFA President Eng. Moses Magogo called for the cancellation of contracts for the companies and contractors responsible for the rehabilitation works at Mandela National Stadium. This call came as a result of the project’s delay, as the contractors failed to complete the stadium by June 12th, which was the scheduled date for Uganda Cranes to host Algeria.

Consequently, the home game against Algeria had to be played in Cameroon due to the unavailability of the renovated stadium.