By Andrew Gum
In a dramatic turnaround that has stirred debate across Ugandan football, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has suspended its controversial new format for the 2025/26 StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL). The federation, led by President Moses Magogo, announced a return to the traditional home-and-away system after weeks of protests, boycotts, and sponsor concerns.
The scrapped format, drawn from FUFA’s 2023 Technical Master Plan, had proposed that teams play each other once before splitting into two groups — the top eight and bottom eight — for separate rounds, followed by playoffs to decide the champion. FUFA argued that the new system would cut travel costs, boost professionalism, and enhance competitiveness.
However, several clubs said the decision was imposed without proper consultation. “We were told, not asked,” said Vipers SC president and former FUFA boss Dr Lawrence Mulindwa. Vipers’ boycott of their match against Kitara FC triggered a wave of defiance, with SC Villa and NEC FC joining in. SC Villa accused FUFA of ignoring stakeholder input and suggested that the format should first have been tested in lower divisions.
Club officials also claimed FUFA had concealed key details, including financial and data-sharing rules embedded in the new competition regulations. The requirement for clubs to share performance and revenue data was especially unpopular. FUFA described it as a move towards transparency, but clubs saw it as surveillance.
The breaking point came when fans joined the protest, leading to empty stadiums. The Namboole fixture between Vipers and Kitara — boycotted by Vipers — was almost deserted. “I cannot be intimidated, bribed, or corrupted,” Dr Mulindwa declared.
Sponsors and other stakeholders also expressed frustration, accusing FUFA of breaching contracts by failing to communicate changes in advance. The league risked losing ticket sales and viewership as fan interest plummeted.
President Magogo has since pledged to spend the next year consulting clubs through workshops and to pilot the new format in the lower divisions, supported by more funding and television coverage. “FUFA has learnt its lesson,” he said, as the federation now works to rebuild trust with clubs, sponsors, and fans alike.
