Yes, Lawrence Mulindwa’s investment in St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende years ago has saved the Uganda Cranes the inconvenience of 'hosting' Afcon 2023 qualifiers in a foreign country. That goes without saying the logistical funds saved and psychological edge over opponents.
Uganda would have been on this list had it not been for Lawrence Mulindwa.
CAF banned Namboole national stadium from hosting international matches. The stadium is currently undergoing renovation
What makes a stadium fit for Caf approval?
· Among the key requirements include the pitch condition emphasizing that the surface whether artificial turf or not, must be green and marked clearly in white.
· Uniform signage system around the stadium to entry and exit, operational gates.
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· For evening matches, the floodlights capacity should be a minimum of 1 200 Lux provided all over the pitch, covering uniformly every area of the playing field.
· Installation of stadium specific sign-age from media entrance to all the various facilities for the media.
Installation of sign-age around the medical facility and throughout the stadium to notify supporters.
· A doping room which must be near the teams’ dressing rooms and must be “inaccessible to any person that is not involved with the doping control process”. It must be equipped with a television set, a refrigerator equipped with non-alcoholic drinks, sealed mineral water bottles, waste-paper bin for bottles, a ventilator and sufficient seating for at least eight people.
· The toilet area must be immediately next to the doping control room with direct private access
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· Numbered bucket seats fixed to the floor as well as a safety certificate from the concerned authorities in which they will set the permitted capacity for the stadium together with detailed terms and conditions that the stadium management must comply with in order to operate the stadium at its permitted capacity.
Which countries’ stadia were banned?
Ethiopia recorded a historic 'home' victory over Egypt in Malawi. A 2-0 thriller! Liberia is playing its ‘home-matches in Morocco, South Sudan hosts its matches in Uganda. Namibia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, The Gambia, Burkina Faso are the other countries on the list.
Like Uganda, the countries’ are renovating their national stadia to meet Caf standards.
