Newly promoted Uganda Premier League (UPL) side Mbarara City may host their home games at Bombo Barracks Stadium, Luweero.
This is after their famous Kakyeka stadium failed to meet the required standards set by FUFA to host UPL games.
The distance from Mbarara to Luweero is over 300kms apart.
The Mbarara-based side, as it stands, will have to endure over six hours of traveling to their home match venue, and another six plus hours back to Mbarara after 90 minutes of football in Bombo.
However, new club CEO Arnold Musabe is confident that Kakyeka will be fit before the new season starts.
“We are working to fix the bare patches with new grass and I believe that all will be well before the season gets underway, this is the only worrying thing on the stadium and the rest is good. We submitted Bombo just an alternative,” Musabe told The-SportsNation.
It’s not the first time Kakyeka has failed to meet the requirements, and the Club was at one time kicked out of the league before making a successful appeal due to Kakyeka issues.
FUFA then, found with large patches of the playing surface without grass, the dressing rooms required refurbishment, the stadium lacked an internal perimeter face and there was no provision made for fan segregation.
But there remains hope, that before the league kicks off next month, FUFA’s club licensing committee will deem Kakyeka stadium fit to host the games.
Besides the odd venue, Mbarara is one of the compliant 14 clubs of the total 16 that have been cleared for inclusion in the final fixtures of StarTimes UPL 2023/24 season.
Accordingly, besides accommodating Mbarara, the Bombo Barracks Stadium is home to another UPL side, UPDF FC.
URA FC will continue at Mehta Stadium, Lugazi, Express FC and SC Villa will stay at the Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku, KCCA FC and NEC will host at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo.
No changes for Bright Stars FC who will stay at their Kavumba Recreation Stadium, Wakiso Giants FC at Kabaka Kyabaggu Stadium and Vipers SC at St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende.
Maroons FC have maintained their Luzira Prisons Ground, BUL FC will host at the FUFA Technical Centre – Njeru, Kitara FC at Masindi Stadium, Gadaffi FC at their Gadaffi Arena.
Meanwhile, Arua Hill SC and Busoga United risk demotion to the second division, should they they fail to appeal FUFA’s decision to leave them out of the 2023/24 UPL fixtures.
The two clubs have just one week to meet the minimum mandatory requirements as per the Club Licensing regulations.
