Football lovers across Uganda have every right to rejoice as ticket prices for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 are set to start at just Shs3,600, making the tournament one of the most accessible major sporting events in the country’s history.
The announcement follows a directive from the PAMOJA Steering Committee, which is overseeing preparations for the historic joint hosting of CHAN 2025 by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
In an effort to make the tournament affordable for all, the committee has instructed all three host nations to adopt a uniform three-tier ticketing structure.
According to the guidance, ordinary (Tier I) tickets are pegged at $1 (approx. Shs3,600), VIP (Tier II) at $2 (Shs7,600), and VVIP (Tier III) at $3 (Shs11,400).
“We have received that guidance from the PAMOJA Steering Committee. We are now going to sit as the Ugandan Local Organising Committee led by the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, and decide whether to fix Tier I at Shs3,500, Shs4,000 or Shs5,000, but it cannot reach Shs10,000,” said Dennis Mugimba, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee’s Communications Committee.
Set to run from August 2 to 30, 2025, CHAN 2025 will spotlight the best of homegrown football talent from across the continent, as only players who compete in their domestic leagues are eligible.
For Ugandan fans, the tournament marks a fresh chapter—especially with matches set to take place at the iconic Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, which recently reopened after years of refurbishment. The state-of-the-art upgrades will now be paired with unmatched affordability.
Historically, tickets for major games at Namboole have ranged between Shs10,000 and Shs50,000, with AFCON qualifiers in recent years charging a minimum of Shs25,000, and VVIP tickets going as high as Shs150,000.
The recent high ticket prices for national team matches sparked tensions between the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) and both fans and sports journalists.
The discontent led to the emergence of a viral social media hashtag, #LwakiMutuseeraOmupiira, a Luganda phrase loosely translated as “Why are you overcharging us to watch football?” The hashtag reflected widespread frustration over the affordability of accessing local football games.
