After working nonstop for months, the Hoima City Stadium in Hoima, Uganda, is all set to open! The Turkish company, MS Summa, gave the finished sports place to the government on Monday, December 22.

President Yoweri Museveni will cut the ribbon at the official opening on Wednesday, Christmas Eve. The stadium fits 20,000 people and can be used for all sorts of sports.

Uganda hired Summa for this $129 million project back in June 2024. They're getting ready to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with Kenya and Tanzania.

They've been working hard, day and night, to finish it.

Summa gave the stadium to the National Council of Sports (NCS) on behalf of the government just before the big opening.

Folks from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Works and Transport were there. They've been checking on the project as it went along.

Rev. Canon Dr Duncans Mugumya, who is in charge of physical education and sports, ran the handover event at the stadium. He stood in for Dr Kedrace Turyagenda, the main person at the education ministry.

Uganda gave Summa a paper that said they finished the job.

Murat Altun, Summa's project manager, showed the government people around the stadium.

Then, the Turkish company gave the stadium to the government, with Ambrose Tashobya, head of the NCS board, in charge.

The officials thanked President Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni, who is the education minister, for helping to make the Hoima City Stadium happen with money and support.

They also said the contractor did a great job, working hard and fast and doing it right and on time.

Summa actually finished the project five months early.

Project manager Eng. Ivan Gombya and his team of engineers were also praised for watching over the work.

Tickets: What You Need to Know

Everything is ready for Wednesday's opening by President Museveni. There will be sports and fun.

The NCS said the gates open at 9 a.m., and you need a ticket to get in.

Someone on X asked if it should be free.

NCS replied, "Most people coming are from Hoima, but they need tickets because of the stadium's system and how many seats there are." The tickets aren't being sold to them.

There will be a relay race, a soccer game between Kitara FC and KCCA FC, and a rugby game too.

They're also planning a fireworks show to end the day with a bang.

The Uganda Cranes are kicking off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Tunisia on Tuesday at Stade Olympique Annexe Complexe Sportif Prince Abdellah in Rabat.

This will be the third time Uganda and Tunisia have met in the AFCON. Their first game was way back in 1962, battling for third place, which Tunisia clinched 3-0. They clashed again in the 1978 group stage, with Tunisia winning 3-1 again.

Tunisia once beat Uganda badly, 6-0, during the 2000 AFCON qualifiers back in 1999. Now, coached by Paul Put, Uganda is back in AFCON after last playing in 2019 in Egypt.

Tunisia is playing in their 22nd AFCON.

Back in Egypt, the Cranes topped their qualifying group with 13 points. They got into Group A with Egypt, DR Congo, and Zimbabwe. They got four points and went to the Round of 16, but lost to Senegal 1-0.

Uganda didn't make it to the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, missing out for the third time.

They were in Group B with Burkina Faso, Malawi, and South Sudan. Uganda came in third with eight points, behind Burkina Faso (12 points) and Malawi (10 points). South Sudan was last with three points.

Tunisia won AFCON in 2024 and were runners-up in 1965 and 1996. This is their 22nd time playing and their 17th in a row. Uganda's best was in 1978 when they were runners-up, losing 2-0 to Ghana. This is their eighth time in the tournament and their first since 2019.

James Bogere, Uganda's U17 forward, is joining the squad. The 17-year-old has scored 14 goals in 15 matches for the Uganda Cubs.

He scored in the CAF U17 AFCON–CECAFA Qualifiers in Uganda in 2024, the CAF U17 AFCON in Morocco in March 2025, pre-U17 World Cup friendlies during the Dubai Youth Challenge in October 2025, and the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar in November 2025.

He's joining forwards like Steven Mukwala, Denis Omedi, Rogers Mato, Uchechukwu Ikpeazu, Jude Ssemugabi, Ivan Ahimbisibwe, Shafik Nana Kwikiriza, Lorenzen Melvyn, and Reagan Mpande.

After thinking about retiring, veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango is back and wants to start.

Put said he's happy to be coaching Uganda at AFCON.

Put told Uganda FA's website that he's feeling great heading to his fifth AFCON with the Uganda Cranes.

He's said that he appreciates the team spirit and wants to win more fans for his team.

He also added that bringing new players to his team is important to help improve for the future.

Uganda has lost their first match in five of its seven AFCON appearances and has only got past the group stage twice, in 1978 and 2019.

After Tunisia, Uganda plays Tanzania and then Nigeria. Tunisia will play Nigeria and wrap up against Tanzania on December 30th.