Compiled by Megan O’Connor, with technical input from Seaqual
As Burundi edges closer to reclaiming its place on the international football stage, one of the most significant milestones in its sporting history is unfolding in the heart of Bujumbura, the country’s former capital city.
A fully completed Intwari Stadium in Bujumbura, Burundi. The turf, Shockwave drainage pads, a 30 000ℓ water catchment system, and Seaqual’s QualiDrain perimeter drainage channels installed by Artificial Grass Africa. All images supplied by Seaqual, captured by Artificial Grass Africa
The long-awaited redevelopment of Intwari Stadium (Stade Intwari) was officially completed in April 2025, and marks a major step forward, having now officially received FIFA compliance. Part of achieving this compliance, meant that the stadium’s drainage system had to be upgraded.
A new era for Burundian football
Intwari Stadium has undergone a full-scale transformation to meet global standards following a 2021 ban by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which deemed the country’s facilities non- compliant. Since then, Burundi has had to host their international matches in neighbouring countries, at a significant cost.
Now officially compliant with both Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and CAF standards, the stadium is set to re-establish Burundi’s presence on the international football stage. Here, we shine a spotlight on the stadium’s drainage system – a vital but often overlooked component of world-class stadium design.
FIFA guidelines: drainage in the stadium
CAF works hand-in-hand with experts in safety and security from FIFA, enabling them “to identify and minimise risk factors at football fixtures throughout our continent” (CAFonline).
FIFA lays out comprehensive plumbing, water and drainage requirements and guidelines that stadiums need to follow in order to be compliant and allowed to host international football matches – requirements and guidelines that Intwari had to consider and implement before its international reopening.
Drainage guidelines from FIFA that Intwari had to take into consideration include:
- Pipe drainage carries any excess water that drains through the pitch, so a good drainage system needs to be supported by a good irrigation system.
- As water moves through the profile, the moisture builds up until the weight of the water, under gravity, forces the excess water to drain through to the lower layers and away through the pipe drainage system. Sufficient water is retained in the rootzone
- for the demands of the plant. All materials to be used must therefore pass through an approved laboratory for analysis in order to meet the design criteria project.
- The drainage design and any attenuation required is calculated based on local climate knowledge and predicted extreme rainfall incidents. Therefore, in order to future-proof the project in relation to climate change, it is becoming increasingly common to provide more than the initially-required drainage capacity.
- Regarding drainage outlet, it is crucial to identify the location of the main drainage outlet for the stadium. This drainage outlet usually needs to be agreed upon with the local authority, which will confirm the position of the outlet drain. In some cases, as part of the planning conditions, an agreed water discharge rate is set, which must be monitored and adhered to throughout the stadium’s lifetime. (InsideFIFA.com).
The QualiDrain modular channels offer enough flexibility to form a semi-circle around the goalposts ends of the pitch. The waterproofing sheet and Flexi-Drains feed into Seaqual’s QualiDrain perimeter channels, ensuring optimal surface water management.
A South African company’s solution to these guidelines
To meet these specific and thorough guidelines for the drainage systems required for the stadium, a South African manufacturing company proposed their solution: Qualidrain. The QualiDrain 250mm channel drainage system – engineered by Seaqual, a South African manufacturer of specialist water management solutions – was specified and installed as the primary perimeter drainage solution for Intwari Stadium.
During the stadium’s renovation, QualiDrain demonstrated a unique capability: its ability to flex into a precise semi-circular formation around the goalpost ends of the pitch. This is a rare feature for a linear channel system of this size and material class. Seaqual’s technical team confirmed this, stating “this feature is uncommon in similar systems and highlights the flexibility of our design”.
The stadium’s drainage system begins with a waterproofing membrane, paired with Flexi-Drains beneath the turf to provide both drainage and shock absorption. These lead into the QualiDrain perimeter channels, forming a seamless and high-capacity water management solution. The collected water is directed into two 14 000ℓ central silos.
The project also showcased the versatility of the QualiDrain system by combining Lite and heavy-duty Nylon grates within the same drainage run – offering enhanced functionality for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic zones around the stadium perimeter.
QualiDrain represents a new standard in surface drainage – being free from PVC, fully recyclable, and rigorously tested for material stability, hydrological performance and mechanical strength.
Its installation at Intwari Stadium – where it formed part of a pitch that has achieved FIFA Quality Pro certification – is a testament to its robust technical design and suitability for demanding infrastructure projects Working with the turfing
The project’s lead Civil Engineer and Turf Contractor, Pierre De Groote of Artificial Grass Africa – Africa’s leading football pitch installation company with 45 FIFA-certified pitches – praised
QualiDrain’s performance and adaptability during installation and described the completed stadium as “easily Africa’s best football turf pitch”.
With the stadium now 100% complete, including turf installation, drainage pads and the 30 000ℓ water catchment system, Burundi has welcomed international football back to its home soil.
References
- Seaqual
- Insidefifa.com – FIFA compliance guidelines
- Cafonline.com – Confederation of African Football
