Ferwafa to build Artificial turfs in three districts
Wednesday, January 06, 2021
A view of Amahoro National Stadium , the main football facility in the country. FERWAFA is set to construct three stadiums with a sitting capacity of 3000 people in the districts of Rutsiro, Rusizi and Gicumbi. / Photo: Sam Ngendahimana.

Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) in partnership with the World Governing Body (FIFA) is set to construct three stadiums with a sitting capacity of 3000 people in the districts of Rutsiro, Rusizi and Gicumbi.

The project will begin soon according to Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) and is expected to cost Rwf 2 billion.

FERWAFA Secretary-General François Régis Uwayezu said the federation will also partner with districts to build artificial turfs in five other districts in line with their vision of boosting football infrastructure.

 "Construction of the three stadiums will start soon since the procurement process is complete. We are also in talks with five other districts to build five other football pitches which can be used by talented young footballers,”

"The goal is to build more stadiums not only with money from FIFA but also with budgets from districts which will host the stadiums,” Uwayezu said.

It is also expected that once finalised, the stadiums will boost sports promotion and development of youth talent at the grassroots level as part of the government’s broader strategy to promote sports.

Construction of the stadiums and Artificial turfs was agreed on during a meeting that the FERWAFA General Assembly held on May 5, 2019, in Musanze. The Assembly recommended that 10 stadiums should be built in different parts of Rwanda.

The three stadiums will be constructed in phases, beginning with leveling the surfaces, and erecting the perimeter walls for each ground.

The districts that have Artificial pitches are; Huye, Rubavu, Muhanga, Kicukiro, Bugesera, Nyagatare, Ngoma, Nyarugenge, Rulindo and Rubavu.

The remaining 20 districts don’t have modern football pitches yet.

Amahoro National Stadium is the largest stadium in the country with a capacity of 25,000, followed by Bugesera stadium with a capacity of 15,000.

Huye Stadium with (10,000), Kigali Regional Stadium (7,000), Nyagatare stadium accommodate 7000 and Ngoma has a seater-capacity of 6000 while Umuganda Stadium has the capacity to host 5,200 fans.

Due to good infrastructures, Rwanda was endorsed to host the 2016 CHAN edition after the country staged two successful youth continental tournaments in a space of three years, including the 2009 U-20 Africa Youth Championships as well as the U-17 Championship in 2011.