hoima stadium | yazgandesign

HOIMA CITY STADIUM

Located in the Mparo Division of Hoima, Uganda, Hoima City Stadium has a seating capacity of 20,000. The broader complex includes a 2,000-seat indoor multi-sports arena, a 25 × 12.5 m semi-Olympic swimming pool, a dedicated training pitch with its own running track, and outdoor courts for basketball, netball, and volleyball, supported by parking for more than 1,000 vehicles.

Designed as a major new sports destination for Uganda, the stadium will host national, regional, and international tournaments, including the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Beyond football, the venue accommodates athletics, rugby, indoor sports, community events, and youth programs—advancing sporting capacity and region’s economic growth.

The facade is conceived as a cultural emblem. It expresses Uganda’s national identity through the colors of the flag—black, yellow, red, and white. Working with Ugandan artists, a continuous pattern is developed based on traditional motifs. The pattern repeats across the stadium, yet shifts subtly through six different panel types, each interpreting a diagonal, grid-based graphic system in a distinct way.

Aluminum mesh panels give the facade both color and calibrated permeability. Perforations on a panel shift across four zones—from 18% at the top to 37% at the bottom—to balance visibility, shading, fire safety, and resistance to wind-driven rain. These variations follow the flow of the graphic system, preserving the facade’s unity.

A natural slope defines the site and organizes the program across three terraces: training pitch, indoor arena and outdoor courts, and the main stadium. This stepped configuration clarifies circulation and aligns major volumes along three spatial axes. The elevation difference between the city’s entrance level and the stadium prompted the creation of a grand access plaza. Reached by ramps and stairs, the plaza acts as an elevated terrace—an outdoor civic platform that ties the venue into Hoima’s urban life.

Seating layouts, VIP and VVIP lounges, Presidential Suite, media areas, and athlete facilities meet international competition standards. A total of 140 seats for persons with disabilities and 140 caretaker seats reinforce accessibility. Parking includes 730 outdoor and 270 basement spaces.

On 5 November 2025, Hoima National Stadium earned a five-star rating after an independent site assessment. The pitch received a perfect score of 115/115 across Playing Quality, Physical Quality, and Turf Quality—confirming top-tier performance.

Uganda’s national leadership views the stadium as a catalyst for the country’s international presence in sport. Beyond AFCON 2027, it is intended to serve as a center for youth development, athlete training, employment, and long-term economic growth in the western region.