Uganda Premier League


The Ugandan Premier League also known as the StarTimes Uganda Premier League for sponsorship reasons is the top division of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations. The league was previously known as the 'Uganda Super League' but changed in the 2014–15 season after new management taking over. The league's roots date back to 1968 when the National First Division League was established.

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 Africa Cup of Nations after disappointing results in the finals in 1962 and 1968, both held in Ethiopia. The intention was to start a Uganda National League to create the foundation for a strong national team. At the same time, the identification of players from the grassroots would be made easier and systematic.
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. The league was known as the National First Division League, and the first league champions were Prisons FC Kampala.
After four seasons, the political turbulence in Uganda impacted on the league. The 1972 and 1973 championship 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.

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.
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. Fans became increasingly disillusioned and deserted the stadia thus affecting the teams financially. The episode represented one of many that has plagued Ugandan football.

Uganda Premier League

The 2018–19 Uganda Super League was contested by 16 teams. Ndejje University FC and Nyamityobora FC were promoted after winning their FUFA Big League groups, while Paidha Black Angels were promoted after winning the FUFA Big League promotion playoffs.

Participants and locations

ClubSettlementStadiumCapacity
Bright StarsKampalaMwererwe Stadium
Bul FCJinjaKakindu Municipal Stadium
ExpressKampalaMuteesa II Stadium
KCCA FCKampalaLugogo Stadium
Busoga United FCJinjaKakindu Municipal Stadium
Maroons FCKampalaLuzira Prisons Stadium
Mbarara City FCMbararaKakyeka Stadium
Ndejje University FCNdejjeNdejje Stadium?
Nyamityobora FCMbararaNyamityobora Playing Grounds
Onduparaka FCOnduparaka, AruaGreenlight Stadium
Paidha Black Angels FCPaidha, ZomboOkoro Stadium
Police FCJinjaKavumba Recreation Centre
SC VillaKampalaNamboole Stadium
SoanaKampalaKavumba Recreation Centre
Uganda Revenue Authority SCKampalaLugazi Stadium
Vipers SCWakisoSt. Mary's Stadium

Some of the Kampala clubs may on occasions also play home matches at the Mandela National Stadium.

Previous winners

Top scorers

YearTop scorersTeamGoals
1968–69John OwubweSimba FC
1969Ali KitonsaExpress36
1970Erickson MategaExpress
1971Polly OumaSimba FC18
1972Paschal LuwaggaExpress
1973Joy SsebulibaLint FC17*
1974Peter KirumiraExpress14
1975Chris DdunguKCC FC12
1976John NtesibeExpress22
1977Denis ObuaUganda Police FC24
1978Jimmy KirundaKCC FC32
1979Davis KamogaKCC FC18
1980Davis KamogaKCC FC21
1981Issa SsekatawaNytil FC18
1982Issa SsekatawaExpress22
1983Issa SsekatawaExpress21
1984Frank KyazzeKCC FC18
1985Frank KyazzeKCC FC28
1986Charles LettiTobacco FC29
1987Majid MusisiSC Villa28
1988Mathias KaweesaNsambya FC17
1989Majid MusisiSC Villa15
1990Majid MusisiSC Villa28
1991Mathias KaweesaCoffee United SC18
1992Majid MusisiSC Villa29
1993Mathias KaweesaSC Villa20
1994Adolf BoraCoffee United SC21

YearTop scorersTeamGoals
1995Ibrahim KizitoUganda Electricity Board FC20
1996David KiwanukaUganda Electricity Board FC21
1997Jackson Mayanja
Charles Ogwang		KCC FC
Umeme FC		18
1998Charles KayembaSC Villa18
1999Andrew MukasaSC Villa45
2000Andrew MukasaSC Villa27
2001Hassan MubiruExpress27
2002Hassan MubiruExpress22
2002–03Hassan MubiruExpress16
2004David Kiwanuka
Robert Ssentongo		Uganda Revenue Authority SC
Simba FC		10
2005Martin Muwanga
Geoffrey Sserunkuma		Police FC
KCC FC		8
2006Dan WalusimbiPolice FC15
2006–07Hamis KitagendaUganda Revenue Authority SC20
2007–08Brian Umony
Olobo Bruno		KCC FC
Police FC		15
2008–09Peter SsenyonjoPolice FC22
2009–10Tony OdurBunamwya21
2010–11Diego Hamis KiizaUganda Revenue Authority SC14
2011–12Robert SsentongoUganda Revenue Authority SC13
2012–13Herman WasswaSC Villa and KCC FC20
2013–14Tony Odur
Francis Solaki		KCC
Soana FC		15
2014–15Robert SsentongoUganda Revenue Authority SC15
2015–16Robert SsentongoUganda Revenue Authority SC18
2016–17Geoffrey SserunkumaKCCA FC20
2017–18Dan SserunkumaVipers SC17
2018-19Juma BalinyaPolice FC19
2019-20Steven MukwalaMaroons FC13

Notes: