Mkapa Stadium pitch nears completion – Msigwa

DAR ES SALAAM: THE playing surface at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam is expected to be ready within two months, according to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports and Chief Government Spokesperson, Gerson Msigwa.

The PS said work on the pitch is now more than 50 per cent complete, with the contractor at the final stage of preparing the surface before planting the grass.

“He has promised to hand over the pitch to us after two months,” Msigwa said during the Yanga Day celebrations at Uhuru Stadium.

The stadium is being prepared as one of Tanzania’s venues for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) that the country will co-host with Kenya and Uganda.

Tanzania is expected to have four venues available for the tournament.

New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar is ready, while the new Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium in Arusha and Fumba Stadium in Zanzibar are nearing completion. The improvements at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium ahead of the tournament are meant for the same.

However, Msigwa warned that the completion of the pitch does not mean all domestic matches will immediately move to the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

He said the venue must be protected because of its planned use during AFCON 2027.

“This does not mean that all matches will move to Benjamin Mkapa,” he said.

“The stadium is being prepared for AFCON, so there may be conditions governing its use that we will have to follow.”

Msigwa said several Premier League and Championship clubs in Dar es Salaam have requested to use the nearby Uhuru Stadium for their home matches.

He explained that moving all those fixtures to Mkapa Stadium could damage the pitch and leave it unsuitable for the continental tournament.

In that light, only matches expected to attract large crowds could be considered for Mkapa Stadium, while other fixtures will be played at Uhuru Stadium.

“We are rushing to prepare Uhuru Stadium so that matches can be played here,” Msigwa said.

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He also addressed concerns over the floodlights at the stadium, saying renovation work is still ongoing.

The contractor had initially agreed to complete the stadium in December, but authorities brought forward some of the work to allow major football events to take place there.

Msigwa said the decision was partly driven by the need to avoid moving major events such as Simba Day and Yanga Day away from Dar es Salaam.

He also said the new league season would create further pressure on stadium availability, with teams potentially having to travel outside the city if Uhuru Stadium was not ready.

Msigwa said work on the remaining improvements at Uhuru Stadium would continue as the league season progresses.