Shadida Salum
Journalist at JamiiForums
- Sep 11, 2020
- 69
- 105
Timu ya Taifa ya Uganda inatarajiwa kutumia Uwanja wa Taifa wa Tanzania kama uwanja wao wa nyumbani kwenye michuano ya kufuzu Kombe la Dunia la 2022.
Shirikisho la Soka Uganda (FUFA) limelijulisha Shirikisho la Soka Tanzania (TFF) juu ya msaada wanaohitaji wa kutumia Uwanja wa Mkapa kama uwanja wao wa nyumbani ikiwa watashindwa kupata Uwanja unaokidhi Vigezo.
FUFA bado haijafikia maamuzi juu ya Uwanja wa St Mary's Kitende ambao ulikuwa ukitumika hivi karibuni kwenye michuano ya kufuzu Kombe la Mataifa ya Afrika kwakuwa barabara kuelekea kwenye uwanja huo zinapitika kwa shida.
Hivi sasa FUFA inaendelea kusubiri maamuzi ya uchunguzi wa mwisho uliofanya katika uwanja huo huku jitihada za kutafuta mbadala zikiendelea.
Uwanja wa Nelson Mandela ambao ni Uwanja wa Taifa wa Uganda, ulitangazwa kutostahili kuandaa mechi za kimataifa baada ya ukaguzi na CAF na FIFA mnamo mwezi Machi 2020.
Hali mbaya ya uwanja wa kuchezea na vyumba vya kubadilishia nguo ilikuwa kati ya vitu vilivyoonekana kuwa chini ya viwango.
Kwenye haya Mashindano ya kufuzu kombe la Duni 2022, Uganda ipo Kundi E pamoja na Kenya, Rwanda na Mali.
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Cranes could use Tanzania’s National Stadium in Dar es Salaam as their home ground for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Football256 understands that the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has put the Tanzanian federation on notice over potential help for a home ground if they fail to find an accredited venue at home.
With the Cranes set to play against neighbours Kenya and Rwanda in their qualifying group, Tanzania remains the only viable option to take temporary residence.
FUFA faces a conundrum with the St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende which has recently been utilised as a venue for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers has been red-flagged for lack of several requirements.
A couple of concerns raised about St. Mary’s Stadium include the lack of proper and convenient access roads and floodlights for night fixtures.
FUFA will have to wait on a final decision from a recent inspection carried out on the facility recently. A search for an alternative is underway regardless before qualifiers get underway in June.
Uganda’s national stadium, the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Namboole was declared unfit to host international matches after an inspection by CAF and FIFA in March 2020.
The dire state of the playing surface and dressing rooms was among the facilities deemed to be below the minimum required standards by the inspection team.
With the stadium turned into an emergency COVID-19 treatment centre recently, there has been no re-development undertaken on the 22-year-old facility for the past year.
Recent concerns raised by State Minister for Sport Hamson Obua about the lack of a fitting national venue for the Cranes were met by new promises of fresh funding for the renovation of Namboole.
But that seems to be another empty promise as Obua further revealed that the stadium is among the under priorities in the current financial year. A total of UGX 96 billion (USD 26.6 million) is needed to undertake the renovation.
Uganda is pooled in group E of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and will play against neighbours Kenya and Rwanda and West African side Mali.
The Cranes’ get their campaign underway with a trip to Kenya between June 5-8 and then a home clash with Mali on June 11-14.
Credit: Shafic Kiyaga
