By Ronald Lusulire
The 2026 Women’s Rugby Premiership kicked off in the first week of February under a newly restructured competition format, with seven teams set to compete across 14 matchdays in a home-and-away league system to determine the season’s champions.
The revised structure introduces major changes to women’s game, most notably the temporary suspension of relegation and promotion for the 2026 season.
New format reshapes competition structure
One of the immediate beneficiaries of the new arrangement is She Wolves, who finished bottom of last season’s standings in both the 15s and 7s competitions but have retained their place in the top tier.
With regional Women’s XVs competitions cancelled, the Uganda Rugby Union confirmed that there will be no relegation or promotion this season, although the system is expected to return in 2027.
To replace the regional XVs leagues, the union has introduced a Core Status Qualifiers competition that will feature four regional teams competing in a league format over six weeks. In an official statement, the union urged regional clubs to focus on community development, improved governance and increased participation in regional women’s 7s competitions.
Black Pearls begin title defence
Defending champions Black Pearls opened their title defence against Ewes Rugby Club at Kings Park Arena.
Despite missing out on both the Uganda Cup and National 7s titles last season, the Black Pearls enter the campaign as strong favourites. Even in the possible absence of influential player Emilly Lekuru, the team still possesses considerable depth and attacking strength capable of sustaining a serious title challenge.
Last season’s runners-up Thunderbirds Rugby Club also begin their campaign with a difficult assignment, travelling to Jinja to face Nile Rapids Rugby Club. Having narrowly missed the title on points last season, the Thunderbirds will be keen to start strongly and maximise their scoring opportunities against a resilient Rapids side.
Lower-ranked sides seek early momentum
Elsewhere, the She Wolves face Panthers Rugby Club in Mbale in a fixture involving two teams that struggled in previous seasons.
With relegation expected to return in 2027, both sides will be eager to register early positive results and build momentum. The match is expected to be fiercely contested as both teams seek to improve their standing and confidence in the revamped competition.
The restructured Women’s Rugby Premiership signals continued growth and development of the women’s game in Uganda. As the season unfolds, attention will focus on how teams adapt to the new format and whether the defending champions can maintain their dominance in an increasingly competitive league.
