A leaked letter by several Uganda Premier League (UPL) Clubs opposed to newly introduced reforms in the league format further reveals a deepening standoff but also a sinister plan to frustrate Federation of Uganda Football Association – FUFA’s plan to overhaul the Uganda Premier League.
FUFA recently unveiled a set of reforms in a push to overhaul the top-flight structure beginning with the 2026/26 season, a move the Federation insists is necessary for modernizing Ugandan Football. Among the reforms by FUFA is the increase of prize money from UGX2.5BN to UGX3.4BN and a new three-phase competition format, an idea opposed by club leaders like Vipers SC President Dr. Lawrence Mulindwa and SC Villa’s Omar Mandela.
According to FUFA, the new format will improve competition for Uganda Premier League clubs at international level but the reforms also come with a huge increment in prize money from UGX128million to UGX500millions. Under the new reforms, much more money has also been injected into the UPL Secretariat to beef up professionalism in staff especially in the area of media and marketing.
In a leaked letter dated September 7, 2025, and addressed to the FUFA Chief Executive Officer, the club presidents rebutted points from an earlier FUFA letter following a September 2 meeting at Serena Hotel. Signatories to the protest letter include presidents from leading clubs like SC Villa, Vipers Sports Club, KCCA FC, and Express FC, among others.
The clubs disagree with FUFA’s position that the UGX 3.4 billion funding is conditioned on the clubs accepting the new reforms, calling the move “irrational and unjustified.” The club also want the new format’s implementation should be suspended and tested in either the 2nd Division or the Women’s League, and that the funding should not be linked to the acceptance of these reforms.
The leaked letter in full:
The Chief Executive Officer,
Federation of Uganda Football Association,
MENGO
Dear Sir,
RE: FUFA COMPETITION REFORMS.
We refer to the meeting held at Serena Hotel on the 2nd September 2025 and your letter of the same date whose contents we respond to as follows:
UGX 3.4B to fund Fufa Competitions Development Program
1. As you recall at the said meeting, all Clubs representatives that attended welcomed the idea of funding clubs and injecting the said money in the league.
2. It was however emphasized that the funding should not be tagged to the acceptance of the reforms as presented and there should be clear guidelines as to when the prize money shall be paid out to the Clubs. It is also key that we are informed as to how much is earmarked for the different activities so that Clubs can plan accordingly. This resolution is not captured in your said letter.
Players Licensing
3. We are glad that the reform pertaining to the players registration has been modified. While addressing the meeting on this issue, the Federation President indicated the idea behind this reform is to ensure that Clubs enter into long term contracts with players.
4. The Clubs recommended at the said meeting that the reform should be couched in a manner that does not affect running contracts executed before the proposed reform and in any event be applied to only new contracts being entered into by the Clubs.
Revenue Collection sharing
5. It is stated in your letter that it was agreed by the Clubs that FUFA and UPL shall partake of the revenue collected by the Clubs and return the same to the Clubs for only the 25/6 season.
6. This is not what we agreed at the meeting. The Clubs proposed that there should be no revenue sharing at all.
Double Header Fixtures
7. We agreed that the double header fixtures shall planned and set up in consultation with all the participating Clubs. It is not a question of UPL making a proposal and the Clubs mandatorily consenting to the same.
New competitions format
8. The Federation President informed the said meeting that this was not an issue of numbers as it is a fundamental introduction that has far reaching ramifications to all Clubs.
9. Your letter dated 2nd September 2025 indicates that this matter was by consensus to be decided by individual clubs and that the funding mentioned above of UGX. 3.4b is conditioned on the 1st Division Clubs accepting the new competitions reforms as presented. We hold the view that conditioning the funding to the Clubs accepting the reforms is effectively arm-twisting the Clubs into accepting the reforms or lose out on the funding which is irrational and unjustified if we are aiming at strengthening the league.
10. We reiterate our position as presented at the meeting that the implementation of the reforms is suspended for now as we try it out in either the 2nd Division league or the Women’s league. The funding should not be tagged to the acceptance of the reforms.
Yours faithfully
________________________
President S.C Villa
________________________
President Vipers Sports Club
________________________
President NEC Football Club
_________________________
President Police Football Club
________________________
President KCCA FC
____________________________
President Express FC
____________________________
President Maroon FC
___________________________
President URA FC
___________________________
President Entebbe UPPC FC
___________________________
President UPDF FC
___________________________
President Kitara FC
___________________________
President Lugazi FC
However, sources indicate that several other premier league clubs have already written to FUFA expressing their acceptance to the new reforms and willingness to play under the new format. It is also unclear why the ‘defiant’ clubs chose to express their protest as a group yet the status of membership of clubs to the association (FUFA) is on individual basis. This exposes the divisions but also reveals a sinister motive expressly engineered by individuals to undermine plans to modernize Ugandan football.
