Uganda Cranes defeated Libya 1-0 in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier played at the newly constructed Hoima City Stadium on Tuesday, marking a historic moment for football in the Bunyoro Sub-region.
Arnold Vula scored Uganda’s only goal in the 45th minute, rising to head Allan Okello’s free kick into the back of the net and giving the hosts the lead shortly before halftime. The goal was enough to secure victory for the Cranes in front of thousands of football fans who travelled from different parts of the country to witness the historic encounter.
The match was the first international football fixture to be played at the newly constructed Hoima City Stadium and marked another milestone in Uganda’s preparations to co-host the 2027 AFCON tournament alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
Although Uganda has already secured automatic qualification for the 2027 AFCON as one of the host nations, the Cranes are participating in the qualifiers to maintain competitive readiness ahead of the tournament. The match was also regarded as an important step in the decentralisation of national-team football in Uganda. It was the first competitive international fixture involving the Uganda Cranes to be played outside the Kampala metropolitan area, apart from matches held under the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) competitions.
Hoima City Stadium was constructed by SUMMA as part of Uganda’s preparations to host the continental tournament. The 20,000-seater multi-purpose stadium is located on 34 acres of land in Kyarwiru Cell, Hoima East Division, and is among the venues selected to host matches during AFCON 2027.
The stadium was constructed at a reported cost of $129 million and financed through Uganda’s Petroleum Fund, supported by revenues from the country’s oil and gas resources. Designed to meet FIFA and CAF international football standards, the facility includes VVIP sections, an indoor arena, a swimming pool, modern changing rooms and gyms, volleyball and basketball courts, media conference halls, a hybrid football pitch, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room, FIFA and CAF offices, referee rooms, training grounds, a media gallery, and parking for nearly 1,000 vehicles.
Both the Uganda Cranes and the Libyan national team arrived at Kabalega International Airport in Hoima District on Sunday ahead of the match. The Uganda-Libya encounter provided an early test of the stadium’s capacity to host international football while giving fans in Bunyoro an opportunity to watch the national team on home ground.
The victory is a significant boost for the Cranes as they continue their preparations for the 2027 AFCON, which will be hosted jointly by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. The successful staging of the match at Hoima City Stadium also demonstrates Uganda’s readiness to deliver world-class facilities for the continental showpiece.
