AIRTEL RISING STARS U-17 PROGRAMME (Season 7):
Launch: Tuesday, 7th June 2018 – Star Times Stadium, Lugogo
Inter-District Qualifiers: 16th June – 1st July 2018 – Various Districts
Regional Qualifiers: July – August 2018 – Regional Football DFA’s will decide respective venues
Grand Finals: August 2018 (Date will be confirmed) – At Buhinga Stadium, Fort Portal

The 7th edition of the Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) U-17 Youth football programme was officially launched at the Star Times Stadium, Lugogo in Kampala on Wednesday, 7th June 2018.
Like it has been during the previous editions, the launch attracted the top brass officials from the main sponsors of this programme, Airtel Uganda Limited and the key partners, Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA).
The FUFA team was led by second vice president Darius Mugoye, Executive Committee member Rogers Byamukama, Marketing Director, Esther Musoke, FUFA Youth Development officer Bashir Mutyaba.
Airtel Uganda Managing Director, VG Somasekhar, Marketing Director Indrajeet Kumar Singh, Brand Strategy Manager Noela Byuma and the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Faith Fiona Bugonzi represented the leading telecom giants who also bankroll the Uganda Cranes as the main sponsors.
Speaker after speaker expressed their appreciation for this under age competition that has helped to produce national team stars as Farouk Miya, Martin Kizza, Muhammed Shaban, Kezironi Kizito, Allan Kizito among others.

The launch comes barely a week to the long awaited kick off of the inter-districts championships whose top performers will qualify for the regional hurdle.
The regional qualifiers across the eight regions of FUFA (North, East, North East, West, West Nile, Buganda, Kampala, Kitara) will take place in the entire month of July before the grand finals in August 2018.
The Buhinga Stadium in Fort Portal will host the finals of this year’s ARS.
As the main sponsors, Airtel Uganda Limited provides the finances that help in the daily running affairs of the tournament, supply balls, nets, jerseys, medals, trophies and cash prizes.

After the official unveiling of the kits that will be used by the teams, there was an exciting exhibition game played by the Katuuso Community girls team amongst themselves as the guests enjoyed the action packed game.

WHAT THEY SAID AT THE LAUNCH:
DARIUS MUGOYE – FUFA SECOND VICE PRESIDENT (Represented the FUFA President, Eng.Moses Magogo)
As FUFA, we remain excited that the Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) U-17 football programme is back and running. Like during the previous editions, there has been value added to the game of football in the country with new stars born, exposed and bred through this progamme. Since 2011 when this programme kicked off, there has been a significant number of stars who have graduated to the Uganda Cranes, U-20 and the U-23 team. We are excited about the partnership with Airtel Uganda. No wonder, that during this partnership, we managed to have the Uganda Cranes qualify to the African Cup of Nations in Gabon. As a federation, we believe in building from the grass roots. Thank you Airtel Uganda and the media for your special effort.

VG SOMASEKHAR – MANAGING DIRECTOR OF AIRTEL UGANDA (In Charge of special projects in Africa):
Uganda has 56 tribes. The game of football is the 57th with the unique power of uniting all the other tribes. As Airtel Uganda, we treasure in supporting the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities where sports, education and culture are part. In Sports, we are fully behind the Uganda Cranes, the Airtel Rising Stars, Airtel Masaza Cup and teh Airtel Kabaka Birthday run. We are transforming the telecom industry in Uganda. It gives me great joy in kicking off this season 7 of the Airtel Rising Stars. Our Vision is to the best loved brands in the daily lives of Uganda. Airtel Uganda’s relationship with sports is well documented. Since 2011, we are growing strong and bigger

