The redevelopment of Intwari Stadium marks a defining moment for Burundian football. Officially completed in April 2025 and now fully compliant with FIFA and CAF standards as of June 2025, the stadium’s transformation restores international football to home soil after years of enforced relocation.
Behind this milestone achievement lies a critical yet often overlooked component of elite sports infrastructure: high-performance stadium drainage. At the heart of the project is Seaqual’s QualiDrain 250mm channel drainage system, engineered and manufactured in South Africa.
A New Era for Football in Burundi
In 2021, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) deemed Burundi’s primary stadium facilities non-compliant, forcing the national team to host international fixtures abroad at significant logistical and financial cost.
The completion of Intwari Stadium changes that narrative. With full FIFA compliance and a pitch achieving FIFA Quality Pro certification, the venue now meets global performance standards — both above and below the surface.
Engineering Performance Beneath the Pitch
The QualiDrain 250mm system was specified as the primary perimeter drainage solution for the stadium. During installation, the system demonstrated a rare and impressive capability: its ability to flex into a precise semi-circular formation around the goalpost ends of the pitch.
This level of adaptability is uncommon in linear channel drainage systems of this size and material class, highlighting the design innovation behind QualiDrain.
The broader water management system includes:
- A high-performance waterproofing membrane
- Flexi-Drains beneath the turf for effective drainage and shock absorption
- QualiDrain perimeter channels
- Two 14,000-litre central collection silos
Water is efficiently captured and directed away from the pitch, ensuring optimal playability, turf longevity, and surface stability in varying weather conditions.
Integrated Drainage for Mixed-Use Stadium Environments
The project also demonstrated the versatility of the QualiDrain system by incorporating both Lite and heavy-duty Nylon grates within the same drainage run. This allowed for seamless performance across pedestrian zones and vehicular access areas around the stadium perimeter.
Such adaptability is critical in modern stadium design, where infrastructure must support not only sporting performance but also event logistics and operational demands.
Expert Endorsement: Proven Under Extreme Conditions
Performance validation came not only through FIFA's certification, but through real-world testing under severe rainfall conditions.
Pierre De Groote, Civil Engineer and Turf Contractor at Artificial Grass Africa, explained:
“The stadium in Burundi required a drainage solution that could meet strict FIFA standards for water evacuation, set at 180mm/hour (3mm per minute). The area being drained covers 11 000m².During recent severe downpours, the QualiDrain system has performed exceptionally well. To put this in context, 1mm of rainfall on 1m² equals 1 litre of water. In storms of 50mm, the stadium surface received approximately 550 000 litres of water. Despite this immense volume, the system evacuated the water efficiently and without issue, ensuring compliance with FIFA’s requirements.”
Further endorsement came from Mr. Samugabo Mustapha, Vice-President of the Burundi Football Federation:
“The drainage has proven to be highly effective during the recent heavy rains.”
QualiDrain: Setting the Benchmark for Stadium Drainage Systems
QualiDrain represents a new standard in surface water management for demanding infrastructure environments. The system is:
- PVC-free
- Fully recyclable
- Rigorously tested for hydrological efficiency
- Engineered for mechanical strength and long-term durability
Its successful installation at Intwari Stadium reinforces Seaqual’s expertise in delivering innovative, high-performance drainage solutions for major sports and civil engineering projects across Africa.
Read it on the November 2025 cover story of Plumbing Africa as well as a project follow up feature in February 2026.
For technical enquiries, email tech@seaqual.co.za
