The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has unveiled a series of substantial reforms for the upcoming 2025/26 Uganda Premier League season following extensive consultations with top-flight clubs.
The changes encompass financial enhancements, structural modifications, and administrative improvements aimed at elevating the league’s overall standard.
The announcement comes just one week after reigning champions Vipers Sports Club publicly challenged the federation’s approach to implementing these changes.
In an official communication signed by Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson on Monday, September 15, 2025, FUFA outlined the sweeping changes.
Financial Enhancement
The reforms introduce significant financial improvements, beginning with an increased total prize money pool of UGX 532 million for the season. Additionally, each Premier League club will receive UGX 80 million in operational support, distributed in three instalments throughout the season.
Performance-Based Incentives
The new framework also introduces performance-based incentives, including Man of the Match awards for all 268 games, with values ranging from UGX 100,000 to UGX 500,000 depending on the competition phase. Furthermore, winning teams in the second and third rounds will receive locker room bonuses of UGX 80,000 and UGX 150,000 per person respectively for up to 30 registered players and officials.
New Competitive Structure
The league will adopt a revised competitive structure consisting of three distinct phases. The initial round will feature a single-round robin among all 16 clubs, followed by a split into two groups of eight based on preliminary standings. The final phase will see teams divided into three groups of six, four, and six teams to determine final championship outcomes, mid-table placements, and relegation positions.
Changes to Fixture Scheduling and Administrative Requirements
FUFA has mandated manually prepared fixtures for the first round to ensure competitive balance and fairness, moving away from computer-generated schedules.
Ongoing Tensions and Vipers SC’s Opposition
The implementation of these reforms follows public objections from Vipers SC, who had argued that the reforms should first be tested in lower divisions before being implemented in the top flight. The club had also disputed FUFA’s revenue sharing model and called for greater consultation in fixture planning.
In response to these concerns, FUFA’s circular appears to address several issues raised by clubs, particularly regarding fixture fairness and financial support. However, the federation has moved forward with the top-flight implementation despite Vipers’ recommendation for preliminary testing in second division or women’s leagues.
Effective October 1, 2025, FUFA will implement a medical insurance scheme for all players through Case MedInsurance Ltd. Each club must register 25 players for coverage under this new program.
The governing body has also modified disciplinary procedures, stating that cautions not resulting in suspension will not carry over between phases, while send-offs and accumulated suspensions will be enforced immediately regardless of the competition phase.
Clubs must comply with new administrative requirements, including submitting detailed player information for insurance registration and providing MTN Mobile Money numbers for all licensed personnel to facilitate prompt payment of performance bonuses.
The success of these initiatives will be closely monitored throughout the upcoming season as stakeholders assess their impact on the domestic game amid continuing discussions about the best path forward for Ugandan football.
