Nkoloma Stadium

Nkoloma Stadium sits in the Chelstone suburb of Lusaka, not far from the local police camp. It is a modest facility with natural grass, and since the late 1970s it has served as the home for Red Arrows F.C. and Young Arrows F.C. The former, known then as the Zambian Air Force Football Club, has played here for decades, though the exact date of the ground’s construction remains unclear—sources suggest the 1960s, but no definitive record exists. The capacity is similarly disputed; figures range from 5,000 to 15,000, though most recent sources cite 10,000. There is no official attendance record, and the stadium lacks floodlights.

What distinguishes Nkoloma is not grandeur but its role in Zambian youth football. It has hosted matches for the national U-17 and U-20 teams, including a 2014 CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier where Zambia defeated Uganda 2-0. More recently, it staged a 2021 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup qualifier against Ghana, which ended 0-0. The venue also hosted the 2023 Absa Cup Final when Forest Rangers beat Muza 1-0, after the match was moved from the National Heroes Stadium due to a scheduling conflict with a concert.

The stadium has never undergone major structural changes or renovations, and it has not carried any other name. It is sometimes confused with Nkana Stadium in Kitwe, but the two are distinct. In 2026, it became the site of hooliganism following a Premier League clash between Red Arrows and Power Dynamos, prompting an investigation by the Zambian Football Association. No records exist of the club’s founding year—some sources cite 1975, others 1978—but the ground itself has remained unchanged since its earliest days.