FUFA has issued communication contained in Circular No. 1107 dated 24th March 2020 to all football stakeholders with decisions taken about proposed reforms on FUFA Competitions during the 22nd FUFA Exco meeting held on 13th March 2020 at the Executive House-FUFA Complex in Mengo. The reforms are expected to be effective with the 2020/2021 season for the transition period while the 2021/2022 takes centre stage fully.
However the public and football stakeholders are encouraged to be involved by sending their ideas to rules@fufa.co.ug
Here is the full communication in the Circualr with proposed reforms about FUFA Competitions;
In a bid to achieve FUFA’s Vision ‘To be the number one football nation in Africa on and off the field’ with a Mission ‘To develop promote and protect football for all’ the FUFA Executive Committee received proposals to reform Professional Club Football in Uganda, hereby presented for any ideas for implementation.
For the past 10 years, a number of achievements have been registered; creating an independent league body voted for by the clubs with a fulltime secretariat established; many clubs have known owners (natural or legal); increased sponsorship for some clubs and the league; 7 of the 18 clubs in the Uganda Super League then still exist in 2019/2020 while 2 are in the 2nd division league and 9 are defunct.
With the above achievements it is paramount new reforms are instituted to, among others, enhance quality of Clubs, increase Sporting Competition, improve Service delivery by Organizers, create better Club and League Brands, and increase revenues for both the clubs and the league.
Consequently, the 22nd FUFA Executive Committee approved wide scale consultations with First Division Clubs, Second Division Clubs, Sponsors, UPL Management, FUFA Regional Football Associations, and the General Public/Football fraternity on the proposals for the reform of professional club football in Uganda.
The proposals to be implemented at the beginning of the 2021/2022 season are as follows;
| CURRENT 2019/2020 | TRANSITION
2020/21 |
PROPOSED 2021/22 ONWARDS | |
| 1st Division (UPL) Clubs | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| 1st Division (UPL) rounds | 02 | 02 | 03 |
| 1st Division relegation to 2nd division | 03 | 06 | 02 |
| 1st Division promotion from 2nd division | 03 | 02 | 02 |
| UPL-U20 Reserve League (INTRODUCED) | 00 | 00 | 12 |
| 2nd Division (FUFA Big League) Clubs | 18 | 16 | 16 |
| 2nd Division (FBL) Groups | 02 | 02 | 02 |
| 2nd Division promotion to 1st Division | 03 | 02 | 02 |
| 2nd Division relegation to 3rd Division | 04 | 06 | 04 |
| 3rd Division promotion to 2nd Division | 04 | 02 | 04 |
The First Division, Second Division, the UPL U20 Reserve Leagues are to be under the Professional League Board and Professional League Secretariat replacing the current UPL Board and UPL Secretariat respectively.
Every First Division club shall be compelled to have an U20 team to compete in a league played over two rounds. A player with a first division license may play in the reserve league and player with a reserve league license may play in the first division league.
There shall be an established FUFA Juniors’ Leagues in each of the 8 FUFA regions in the country under the supervision of the UYFA and the respective FRAs. The FJL at every FRA shall consist of 12 teams. The FRA may manage more than one FJL of 12 teams each. For example Eastern RFA may have FJL-Jinja and FJL-Mbale the winner being determined under an agreed format. The UPL club U17 team may compete in the respective FRA FJL within their locality or as appropriate.
FUFA wishes to invite ideas from our stakeholders or from anyone “To Whom It May Concern” via rules@fufa.co.ug on the proposals as enumerated in this circular. These ideas and views shall be compiled and shall be debated on when FUFA organises the review workshop before the kick-off of the 2020/2021 season.
The exercise will be coordinated by the FUFA Deputy Chief Executive Officer/Football Mr. Kiiza Decolas Hantali +256 753 374 898 / +256 772 475 739 / dkiiza@fufa.co.ug.
It is Our Game, It is Our Country.
