The expansion and upgrade of the Rwanda Amahoro stadium in Kigali is near completion.
The expansion of Amahoro stadium started in mid-2022, with Turkish company Summa Construction Inc., which also built the Kigali Arena, as the main contractor. The expansion is expected to be completed in mid-2024, with the project expected to cost around $170 million.
In 2018, the Rwanda Housing Authority announced its intention to expand Stade Amahoro in the Rwandan capital, Kigali. Stade Amahoro is the largest stadium in the country and is used by, among others, the national football team. The facility was built in the 1980s with Chinese aid. During the ethnic cleansing of 1994, it became famous as a refugee camp.
Before the Stade Amahoro expansion took place, the new Kigali Arena (BK Arena), the largest indoor arena in Rwanda and the whole of East Africa, was built in 2019 right next door in place of the auxiliary pitches. Combined with the expanded stadium, this will create a state-of-the-art sports facility. When Stade Amahoro is expanded, the older sports hall next door, the so-called Petit Stade, is also to be upgraded.
The Stade Amahoro expansion includes a significant enlargement of the stands. The capacity of the venue will increase from 25,000 to 45,000 spectators and the auditorium will be divided into two tiers. Plastic seats will be installed in the stands, and there will also be VIP boxes, press boxes, and areas for wheelchair users.
The reconstructed stadium will retain its oval layout with an athletics track. The stands will be fully covered and, externally, the building will receive a decorative facade with traditional imigongo patterns, corresponding with the architecture of the neighboring Kigali Arena. The upgrade will make the facility much more modern, adapted to current norms and standards, and equipped with greater commercial opportunities.
