Kadiba Ground officially opens on May 31, 2025, at the Uganda Cup Final featuring KCCA FC versus Vipers SC. This new facility is more than just a stadium; it’s a new development for football. Located in Mengo, Rubaga Division, the newly completed ground is already drawing regional attention as a training base for CHAN 2024 and AFCON 2027.

A Long-Awaited Launch at the Heart of Mengo

Kadiba Ground’s journey began in 2018, when FIFA allocated $2.3 million to the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) under the FIFA Forward Programme. The plan was to turn a piece of land that the Church of Uganda gave to the team into a FIFA-compliant training facility. Financial and practical concerns caused a delay, despite the project’s scheduled completion in 2023 for the development stages.

Why Kadiba Ground Matters

Kadiba Ground is not just a football development project; it is also part of Uganda’s national intent to become a viable destination for international tournaments. Still, it is also one of the constructed training facilities for CHAN 2024 as well as the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, meaning the ground is at the center of the potential for tournaments.

Moreover, it’s in Mengo, relatively central to Kampala yet accessible; it’s aesthetically pleasing and a practical endeavor. With locker rooms, a quality pitch endeavor, administrative offices, and seating for viewing, it hopes to add to the quality of standards of local football fields.

CHAN and AFCON Infrastructure Upgrade

In February 2025, a few months after delays and the upcoming CHAN 2025 championship, Uganda’s CHAN venue was visited by a CAF delegation to see if Uganda would be ready for continental play. Director of Competitions Samson Adamu toured the CHAN venues like Kadiba Ground, which passed the inspection with good feedback.

This year in March, CAF announced a delay of CHAN 2025 to August instead of February so that the hosts could better accommodate their plans. For FUFA, this was welcome news—Kadiba and other venues needed time to polish finishing touches.

A Stage Set for the Uganda Cup Final

The upcoming Uganda Cup Final at Kadiba is more than just a match. It’s a soft launch for Uganda’s readiness to host major events.

Vipers SC and KCCA FC, the Ugandan league champions, will cut the new turf. The fans will not be enjoying a cup final but watching a long-anticipated ground opening for a field planned and constructed for the last few years.

“Kadiba Ground gives us confidence that Uganda is on the right path,” said a FUFA spokesperson. “We now have a facility that meets the standards of international training venues.”

Community Impact & Football Development

Kadiba Ground not only welcomes the highest level of developmental soccer. Located in Mengo, Kadiba Ground welcomes talents from the grassroots, local clubs, and community efforts. The pitch will host FUFA youth leagues, women’s soccer practices, and referee training.

By deciding to upgrade Kadiba to support future investments, FUFA demonstrates its loyalty to equitable football development across the region—which is what FIFA also advocated for when funding the project.

How Kadiba Compares to Other Venues

The only major field in Uganda for national football endeavors at present is Nelson Mandela National Stadium (Namboole); however, as a training ground and secondary pitch with intimate accessibility, Kadiba is a better fit. Other minor but major fields include Bombo Military Stadium and the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru, all creating a solid web of local venues.

Kadiba meets the regulations for field size according to CAF and FIFA, while the compact layout helps the team meet all accommodations rapidly in-house over the duration of a tournament.

What’s Next for Kadiba Ground?

With just a few short days until the first game is set to be played on this new local ground, the appeal will be whether Kadiba can support a game. Can it provide gameday accommodations and public access while allowing enough room for media attention?

Aside from CHAN and AFCON, the pitch can also be used for:

• Training for the Uganda Premier League home games
• Friendlies to prepare for other regional tournaments
• Friendlies for the women’s national team

Floodlights will be added, and seating will be expanded in Phase 2, as well, per FUFA.

Why It Matters for Ugandan Football

Uganda has sought for too long to become one of the premier locations for football all over Africa. This project legitimizes such intent, as Kadiba Ground is already functional and positions yet another stable ground for Uganda to appeal to when trying to host major tournaments within the region.

For fans, players, coaches, and administrators, the launch of Kadiba Ground is an upgrade for the country—and a new stable, pragmatic ground to further the skills development of the beautiful game.