FUFA Reforms: Fresh League Structure, Player Rules, and UGX 3.4 Billion Funding Plan

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has unveiled a new set of reforms that will significantly reshape the structure, operations, and financial model of the 1st Division League (Uganda Premier League) effective from the 2025/26 season.

The reforms, contained in FUFA Circular No. 1203, follow consultative meetings between FUFA and 1st Division clubs at Serena Hotel in Kampala on 2nd and 9th September 2025, alongside written feedback from clubs to FUFA’s earlier communication (Ref: FUFA/COMPETITION-CLUBS/2/09/25). Circular No. 1203 now replaces Circular No. 1202.

FUFA’s Executive Committee says the reforms are intended to improve competitiveness, enhance professionalism, and strengthen both the sporting and business sustainability of clubs in Uganda’s top tier.

League Format

The 1st Division will maintain a maximum of 16 teams. However, the structure of the competition will drastically change, being played in three rounds instead of the traditional home-and-away format:

Round 1:

All 16 teams play a one-leg league format. A draw will determine which clubs host or travel. The top eight teams progress to Group 1, while the bottom eight form Group 2.

Round 2:

Group 1 and Group 2 play full home-and-away fixtures within their groups.

The top six from Group 1 advance to Group 3.

Group 1’s 7th & 8th plus Group 2’s 1st & 2nd move to Group 4.

The bottom six of Group 2 form Group 5.

Round 3:

All teams play a one-leg format again, with home/away fixtures reversed from Round 1 for parity.

Season standings will be based on cumulative points and goals from Rounds 2 and 3. The final ranking will allocate:

Group 3 (positions 1–6): Top six of the league.

Group 4 (positions 7–10).

Group 5 (positions 11–16).

Champions and Relegation

The 1st ranked team becomes league champion.

Teams 11–13 remain in the top flight for the next season.

The 14th placed team faces a two-legged playoff against the 3rd-placed team from the FUFA Big League.

Teams 15 and 16 are relegated to the 2nd Division.

Player Registration

FUFA has tightened regulations to ensure long-term player contracts and stability:

Only players with two or more years remaining on their contracts will be eligible.

Exceptions apply for players turning 31 or older during the season, or for those already under contracts signed before 30th June 2024.

Data Management

To professionalize operations, FUFA will require sporting and business data submission after every match:

Sporting data (Form F601): Match performance details, to be submitted within 48 hours. Clubs must use Catapult Technology (GPS tracking vests) during games.

Business data (Form F605): Attendance and revenue figures, also within 48 hours.

FUFA may introduce web-based applications to streamline this process.

Fixtures

The league will allow single-header and double-header fixtures:

Double-headers mean two matches hosted at the same venue on the same day, separated by 2–3 hours.

The UPL will decide which games qualify, with flexibility to switch single fixtures to double-headers with club consent.

Financial Reforms

FUFA has earmarked UGX 3.4 billion to strengthen the 2025/26 season, covering prize money, marketing, grants, insurance, and operational expenses.

Prize Money (UGX 532M)

The distribution is structured across both Round 1 and Rounds 2 & 3, with the champions receiving a combined UGX 100M (38M in Round 1 and 62M in Rounds 2 & 3). The lowest-ranked team earns UGX 2M in Round 1 and none thereafter.

Revenue Sharing

Single-header fixtures: Home club retains 90%, while FUFA and UPL each take 5%.

Double-header fixtures: A percentage model applies based on clubs’ fan categories (Cat-1, Cat-2, Cat-3). FUFA and UPL each take 5%, while the remainder is shared between hosting clubs.

However, for the 2025/26 season only, FUFA and UPL’s share will be donated back to clubs.

Other Allocations

Cash grants: UGX 1.28 billion for all 16 clubs (UGX 80M per club).

Players’ insurance: UGX 480M to cover 25 players per club.

Marketing & media: UGX 240M.

Locker room bonuses, staffing, and man-of-the-match awards also included.

Implications

FUFA’s reforms mark a radical departure from the traditional league system. The three-round structure is designed to:

Increase competitiveness by ensuring clubs of similar levels play each other more often.

Strengthen financial discipline and transparency.

Enhance player welfare and contract security.

Improve data-driven management in both sporting and business aspects.

FUFA has confirmed that these changes will be codified in the upcoming issue of the FUFA Competitions Rules.