The Akii Bua stadium in Lira is set to be constructed in less than two years in preparation to host the forthcoming 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

The State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang, confirmed the development on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

According to Ogwang, the plans for the construction of the Akii Bua stadium were finalized when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an Egyptian contractor.

“Plans to construct Akii Bua Stadium in Lira City have been finalized after we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Joint Venture of Khator Sports and SAMCO to construct the stadium in less than 20 months,” Ogwanga said.

Minister Ogwang further revealed that the construction works will be financed by the contractor, with at least $70 million being spent in the first phase of work, adding that they will be closely monitored for their timely completion.

“The contractor will finance and build  the stadium through pre-finance. This sports infrastructure is a critical project in our preparations to host the 2027 AFCON and therefore, it will be fast-tracked for its timely completion,” Ogwang added.

The move to construct Akii-Bua Stadium comes months after it was scrapped off the list of stadiums set to host the AFCON tournament. Uganda won the bid to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Kenya and Tanzania.

In 2009, President Museveni pledged to construct Akii Bua Stadium in memory of John Akii-Bua, the first Olympic gold medalist in Uganda and Africa at large.