Sports
Uganda to Host Crucial Asia/Africa Rugby World Cup Play-Off at Mandela National Stadium
Uganda is set to host a high-stakes Asia/Africa Rugby World Cup play-off match between Namibia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, July 26, at the iconic Mandela National Stadium, Namboole. The match is a crucial qualifier for the 2027 Rugby World Cup to be held in Australia.
The fixture offers Namibia, who missed out on automatic qualification after losing to Zimbabwe in the African qualifiers, a second shot at redemption. They will face a determined UAE side, which arrived in Uganda earlier this week with ambitions to progress to the World Rugby Repechage Tournament in November.
“We are happy the Asia/Africa play-off will also come to Uganda,” said Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah. “It’s a great opportunity for Uganda to host another major match. We thank the government and the Uganda Rugby Union for making this possible.”
The winner of Friday’s showdown will advance to the World Rugby Repechage Tournament, a final qualification pathway for the 2027 World Cup. The repechage will feature a four-team round-robin format, including:
- The Asia/Africa play-off winner
- The fifth-placed team from Europe
- The third-placed team from South America
- The loser of the South America/Pacific play-off
Only one team from this tournament will secure the final spot at the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia, making the Kampala clash a do-or-die fixture for both Namibia and UAE.
Uganda’s selection as host for the play-off is another major milestone for local rugby, showcasing the country’s growing stature as a trusted destination for international sports events.
The event is expected to attract local and regional fans, while giving Uganda an opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to host world-class rugby fixtures — and possibly bolster the case for more future events on home soil.
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