Uganda Premier League
Founded | 1968 |
---|---|
Country | Uganda |
Ugandan Cup Super 8 | |
International cup(s) | Champions League Confederation Cup |
Current champions | Vipers SC (6th title) (2022–23) |
Most championships | SC Villa (16 titles) |
Top goalscorer | Majid Musisi (113 goals) |
Website | www |
Current: 2023–24 Uganda Premier League |
The Ugandan Premier League, also known as the StarTimes Uganda Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the
History
Original concept
The genesis of club football in Uganda was an idea copied from England by Balamaze Lwanga and Polycarp Kakooza. The objective was to improve Uganda's performances in the
Because there were no clubs to form a league, institutions and districts were contacted to form teams. The 1968 inaugural top-flight league was composed of Prisons, Army, Coffee, Express, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara, and Mbale. There were three institutions and four districts and one club.[3] The league was known as the National First Division League, and the first league champions were Prisons FC Kampala (now known as Maroons FC).[2]
After four seasons, the political turbulence in Uganda impacted on the league. The 1972 and 1973 championships were not completed because of civil unrest. In 1974, the league became known as the National Football League and this title was used until 1982 when the league was trimmed to ten teams and was renamed the Super League (shortened to Super Ten in that inaugural season).[2]
Super League advent
The emergence of the Super League in 1982 saw the development of SC Villa as the country's leading club. Through the 1980s and a good part of the 1990s, competition between Express, KCC FC and SC Villa lit up the league and fans attended in hoards.[4]
SC Villa won the league for the first time in 1982 and over the next 22 years totalled 16 league titles. KCC FC and Express won the championship title in the intervening years.
Match-fixing
In 2003, football in Uganda hit its lowest ebb as SC Villa put 22 goals past Akol FC when the league title went down to goal difference with Express. This was one of the biggest scandals in Ugandan football and thereafter, there was a complete media shutdown in all matters pertaining to local football.[4] Fans became increasingly disillusioned and deserted the stadia thus affecting the teams financially.[5] The episode represented one of many that has plagued Ugandan football.[6]
Uganda Premier League
The 2018–19 Uganda Super League was contested by 16 teams.
Participants and locations
Club | Settlement | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Bright Stars | Kampala | Mwererwe Stadium | 5,000 |
Bul FC
|
Jinja | Kakindu Municipal Stadium | 1,000 |
Express | Kampala | Muteesa II Stadium
|
20,200 |
KCCA FC | Kampala | Lugogo Stadium | 3,000 |
Busoga United FC | Jinja | Kakindu Municipal Stadium | 1,000 |
Maroons FC | Kampala | Luzira Prisons Stadium | 1,000 |
Mbarara City FC | Mbarara | Kakyeka Stadium | 2,000 |
Ndejje University FC | Ndejje | Ndejje Stadium | 2,000 |
Nyamityobora FC | Mbarara | Nyamityobora Playing Grounds | 1,000 |
Onduparaka FC | Onduparaka, Arua | Greenlight Stadium | 2,000 |
Paidha Black Angels FC | Paidha, Zombo | Okoro Stadium | 6,000 |
Police FC | Jinja | Kavumba Recreation Centre | 1,000 |
SC Villa | Kampala | Mandela National Stadium | 45,202 |
Soana
|
Kampala | Kavumba Recreation Centre | 1,000 |
Uganda Revenue Authority SC | Kampala | Lugazi Stadium | 2,000 |
Vipers SC | Wakiso
|
St. Mary's Stadium-Kitende | 20,000 |
Some of the Kampala clubs may on occasions also play home matches at the
Previous winners
Performances by club
Club | Previous names | Settlement | Titles | Championship Seasons |
---|---|---|---|---|
SC Villa | Nakivubo Boys Nakivubo Villa |
Kampala | 16
|
1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2002–03, 2004 |
Kampala Capital City Authority FC | Kampala City Council FC | Kampala | 13 |
2018–19
|
Express FC | Express Red Eagles | Kampala | 7 |
1974, 1975, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2011–12, 2020–21 |
Vipers SC | Bunamwaya SC | Wakiso |
6 |
|
Uganda Revenue Authority SC | — | Kampala | 4 |
2006, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11 |
Maroons FC | Prisons FC | Kampala | 2 |
1968–69, 1969 |
Simba FC | Army | Lugazi | 2 |
1971, 1978 |
Coffee United SC | — | Kakira | 1 |
1970 |
Nile Breweries | — | Jinja | 1 |
1980 |
Police FC | — | Jinja | 1 |
2005 |
Uganda Commercial Bank FC | — | Kampala | 1 |
1979 |
Top scorers
Notes:
- Joy Ssebuliba was leading league scorer with 17 goals for Lint FC in 1973 but the league was not completed because of the dire political situation.[13]
Multiple hat-tricks
Rank | Country | Player | Hat-tricks |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Olobo Bruno | 3 |
2 | ![]() |
Emmanuel Okwi | 2 |
![]() |
Peter Ssenyonjo | ||
4 | ![]() |
Moses Aduni | 4 |
![]() |
Oscar Kadenge | ||
![]() |
David Kalungi | ||
![]() |
Ismael Kigosi | ||
![]() |
Hamis Kitagenda | ||
![]() |
Hisborne Mundia | ||
![]() |
Andrew Nkurunungi | ||
![]() |
Augustine Nsumba | ||
![]() |
Tony Odur | ||
![]() |
Cesar Okhuti | ||
![]() |
Denis Ojara | ||
![]() |
Allan Okello | ||
![]() |
Brian Omwony | ||
![]() |
Denis Onyango |
See also
References
- ^ Richard M Kavuma (2009-05-05). "Ugandan football struggles to compete with English Premier League | Katine". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
- ^ a b c "FUFA Files: History of the Uganda Super League". Soccer256. Archived from the original on 2010-10-07. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ a b "Uganda Super League reaping from 1968 Sand Foundation". FUFA. 29 December 2011. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ a b "Origin of the Uganda Super League (USL)". USL Ltd. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
- ^ "HB ZZIWA: Villa's 22–1 win over Akol killed Ugandan football". The Observer. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
- ^ "Top 10 List: Match fixing episodes in Ugandan football". The Observer. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
- ^ "Uganda 2017/18". RSSSF. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ "Ugandan Premier League: Venues 2013/13". Soccerway. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ Collins Nabiswa (20 May 2020). "OFFICIAL: Vipers SC declared Uganda Premier League champions after league is cancelled". futaa.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ^ "Top 10 Strikers ever in the Ugandan Top Flight Football League". kawowo.com. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ "FUFA Monthly" (PDF). fufa.co.ug. 2015. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- ^ "KCCA's Ochaya is 2015–16 UPL Most Valuable Player". upl.co.ug. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ "The Legends: Uganda Super League top scorers since league inception". Kawowo.com. 2012-04-16. Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2014-01-24.
External links
- League at FIFA.com (archived 22 June 2007)
- RSSSF competition history