Uganda Eyes FIFA World Cup Bid - What does it cost to host the tournament?

[Da Dona]

Kampala, Friday,27.February- appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee while discussing the December 2025 Auditor General’s report, Kedrace Turyagenda, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, revealed that Uganda is already thinking ahead.
" we are already thinking about it because we are now going to have at least three stadiums that we think can be worked on ,our plan is to develop bigger stadiums of above 45,000-seaters that in case we are given the World Cup, we are ready for it.”
She added that government is aligning its sports infrastructure plans with upcoming continental competitions, including the All-Africa Games in 2031

However, using South Africa as a case study, When 2010 FIFA World Cup was hosted by South Africa, According to then Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, the country spent close to Shs 9.6 trillion (about $4.3 billion) over six years of preparations.
Shs 3.8 trillion ($1.7 billion) went into upgrading and building 10 stadiums — five newly constructed and five renovated.
Shs 869 billion ($388 million) was spent on ports of entry and related infrastructure.
Shs 376 billion ($168 million) went to event safety and security.
Shs 434 billion ($194 million) covered broadcasting technology.
These figures excluded additional spending by host cities and provinces, which pushed total costs even higher.

While South Africa delivered a successful tournament that boosted global visibility, debates about long-term economic returns persist more than a decade later, with some stadiums struggling to remain financially sustainable.

Can Uganda Afford It?
Unlike South Africa in 2010, Uganda faces mounting public debt, limited revenue growth, and competing demands in health, education, and job creation. Building multiple 45,000-seater stadiums, upgrading airports, transport networks, security systems, and broadcasting infrastructure would require trillions of shillings in investment.

 

[Eronda]

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Kampala, Friday,27.February- appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee while discussing the December 2025 Auditor General’s report, Kedrace Turyagenda, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, revealed that Uganda is already thinking ahead.
" we are already thinking about it because we are now going to have at least three stadiums that we think can be worked on ,our plan is to develop bigger stadiums of above 45,000-seaters that in case we are given the World Cup, we are ready for it.”
She added that government is aligning its sports infrastructure plans with upcoming continental competitions, including the All-Africa Games in 2031

However, using South Africa as a case study, When 2010 FIFA World Cup was hosted by South Africa, According to then Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, the country spent close to Shs 9.6 trillion (about $4.3 billion) over six years of preparations.
Shs 3.8 trillion ($1.7 billion) went into upgrading and building 10 stadiums — five newly constructed and five renovated.
Shs 869 billion ($388 million) was spent on ports of entry and related infrastructure.
Shs 376 billion ($168 million) went to event safety and security.
Shs 434 billion ($194 million) covered broadcasting technology.
These figures excluded additional spending by host cities and provinces, which pushed total costs even higher.

While South Africa delivered a successful tournament that boosted global visibility, debates about long-term economic returns persist more than a decade later, with some stadiums struggling to remain financially sustainable.

Can Uganda Afford It?
Unlike South Africa in 2010, Uganda faces mounting public debt, limited revenue growth, and competing demands in health, education, and job creation. Building multiple 45,000-seater stadiums, upgrading airports, transport networks, security systems, and broadcasting infrastructure would require trillions of shillings in investment.

We are on our own league, let’s leave Kenya and Tanzania alone