UPL teams stand united against FUFA’s 2025-26 changes

Uganda Premier League (UPL) clubs have stood their ground in opposing the new league format proposed by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) for the 2025/26 season. The controversial reforms, which include a shift to a three-round competition structure, have sparked widespread concern among club officials.

A four-hour meeting on Tuesday at the Serena Hotel brought together FUFA President Moses Magogo and UPL club representatives to discuss the proposed changes.

However, no agreement was reached, with Magogo acknowledging the ongoing disagreement. “We have agreed on several issues; only pending matter is the format to be used. A lot of clarification still needed, we may or may not adopt the new format,” he stated.

Clubs Voice Unified Concerns
Vipers SC President Lawrence Mulindwa, representing the collective UPL clubs, emphasized the unified opposition to the rapid implementation of the proposed changes. While describing the meeting as “fruitful,” he underscored the concerns regarding timing, stakeholder consultation, and lack of adequate sensitization.

“First time clubs have come together with a just cause. We had a fruitful meeting with the Federation where we raised our concerns regarding the competition reforms introduced by FUFA for the 2025/26 season,” Mulindwa said.

He added, “We unanimously agreed as clubs in our last meeting that it’s crucial we engage with FUFA because what we saw in that document, the fundamental issue, is the timing of the documentation before its implementation, lack of consultation, lack of sensitisation, and lack of involving stakeholders.”

Call for Constructive Engagement
While acknowledging that the proposed format includes innovative ideas aimed at enhancing league competitiveness, Mulindwa stressed that clubs need more time to properly study and adapt to such significant reforms.

“There are many innovations; some are good, but they require time to study and appreciate, just like any new thing. This is a fundamental change; it’s not something you can change overnight; it requires time,” he explained.

He also highlighted the logistical and financial implications, noting that clubs had already prepared budgets and work plans based on the existing format. “Adjustments within less than a month may not be very possible. Those are some of our concerns which we raised to FUFA; they appreciated our concerns, and we agreed with them that it’s vital to have more constructive engagements so that we can forge a way forward.”

Next Steps
Both FUFA and the UPL clubs have agreed to reconvene next Tuesday to continue discussions and work toward a mutually beneficial resolution. Mulindwa remains optimistic about the outcome: “It was a good meeting, and I can assure you that football will win at the end of the day.”

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