Uganda Cranes Seal Historic 1-0 Win Over Libya in Hoima City Stadium Debut

Uganda’s national football team, the Cranes, marked a landmark moment for Ugandan football with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Libya on Tuesday night, September 29, 2026, at the newly constructed Hoima City Stadium.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Pamoja qualifier was the first senior international match staged at the 20,000-capacity venue in the Bunyoro region — and the first competitive home fixture the Cranes have played outside Kampala in decades. Debutant Arnold Vula scored the only goal of the night, heading home in first-half stoppage time to send the home crowd into celebration and lift Uganda to the top of Group H with four points from two matches.

Vula’s Debut Goal Decides It

Libya started brightly and tested Uganda goalkeeper and captain Denis Onyango early, but the Cranes grew into the contest. Just when the first half looked set to finish goalless, Allan Okello delivered a well-weighted free-kick from the left. Vula, making his international debut, rose highest to power a header into the net and give Uganda a 1-0 lead at the break.

The goal proved decisive. Libya dominated large stretches of the second half and created clear chances, including a glaring miss from close range in the 75th minute, but Uganda’s defence and Onyango held firm. Coach Paul Put made substitutions to protect the lead, and the Cranes saw out five minutes of added time for a clean-sheet victory.

The result leaves Uganda on four points (after a 1-1 draw with Tunisia in their opener), with Botswana and Tunisia on two points each and Libya on one.

Asiimwe Shines and Shares the Moment

New right-back Nathan Asiimwe was among the standout performers. The young defender, born in London to Ugandan parents and currently on loan at Salford City from Charlton Athletic, started and impressed with his energy and composure. After the final whistle he gifted his match jersey to his parents, who had travelled to Hoima to support him — a touching family moment celebrated by the official Uganda Cranes account.

Muhoozi Rewards the Squad

Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba rewarded the squad with 30 million Ugandan shillings for the victory. The package, delivered on behalf of the Patriotic League of Uganda by MP Daudi Kabanda, was handed to captain Denis Onyango in the presence of Sports Minister Peter Ogwang and FUFA President Moses Magogo.

A Milestone for Hoima and AFCON 2027

Hoima City Stadium, built at a cost of approximately US$129 million and funded through Uganda’s oil revenues, is one of the key venues for the 2027 AFCON, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania. The facility features a 20,000-seat main stadium, a 2,000-seat indoor arena, a semi-Olympic swimming pool, training pitches and athletics facilities. Although the Cranes are already qualified as co-hosts, the win builds valuable momentum and competitive rhythm ahead of the tournament.

The victory also continues the decentralisation of national-team football, bringing a major international match to the Bunyoro region for the first time and giving fans outside the capital a chance to experience the Cranes live.

Uganda next face Botswana in the November international window as they continue their Group H campaign. For one night in Hoima, however, the focus was on history: a debut goal, a new stadium opened with a win, and a growing sense of belief in the Cranes’ AFCON preparations.