UPL’S SHS5.5BN GOVT BOOST! Board Chair Rugyendo Puts Clubs on Notice Over Accountability, Says Player Welfare Comes First
UPL Board Chair Dr. Rugyendo
KAMPALA — The Government’s planned Shs5.5 billion financial support to Uganda Premier League clubs for the 2026/27 season is primarily intended to improve player welfare, according to Uganda Premier League (UPL) board chairman Arinaitwe Rugyendo.
Rugyendo confirmed that about Shs5.5 billion is expected to be released to support the 18 top-flight clubs, following more than a year of discussions between football authorities and Government over direct financial support to the domestic league.
“That money is supposed to go towards the welfare of the players,” Rugyendo told NTV SportKnights.
The funding is expected to be channelled through the National Council of Sports (NCS) to individual clubs, rather than being administered through the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA).
The intervention follows lobbying by the UPL board, which formally approached First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni in April 2025 seeking Government support for the development and financing of the top-flight competition.
The league subsequently developed a proposal seeking about Shs6 billion annually to strengthen clubs and improve the domestic football structure.
The Shs5.5 billion allocation is slightly below the amount initially requested but would represent one of the largest direct Government interventions in the Premier League in recent years.
The discussions gained momentum as Uganda intensified preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which the country will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.
Rugyendo, however, said the funding should not automatically be regarded as a permanent annual allocation.
He said the future of Government support would partly depend on how well clubs manage and account for the funds.
“We are still talking and this is a good start. How we manage these finances will determine how much can come from Government,” he said.
Rugyendo urged clubs to maintain strict financial discipline and ensure that every allocation is properly accounted for.
“I want to see clubs account for every coin they receive, so that the funds are properly utilised, and other sports like rugby and volleyball can also benefit,” he said.
He added that proper management of the funds could encourage Government to extend similar support to other national sporting competitions.
“We must manage these finances well as required because this can also be the start of Government funding other national competitions in basketball, rugby, volleyball and the likes,” Rugyendo said.
The emphasis on accountability comes as clubs face tighter financial reporting requirements under FUFA’s amended club licensing regulations for the 2026/27 season.
The regulations require clubs to record income and expenditure and maintain financial statements that can be subjected to audits or reviews. Failure to maintain proper financial records can affect a club’s licensing for the following season.
Player welfare remains one of the major financial pressures facing clubs, with teams expected to meet salaries, bonuses, medical expenses, training costs and other player-related obligations.
However, the financial strength of clubs varies significantly, with teams relying on different combinations of ownership funding, sponsorship, gate collections and other commercial income.
Rugyendo said the Government intervention should also encourage a broader review of how football is structured and financed in Uganda.
“People should understand that football in Uganda is structured much like the United Nations, with different levels and bodies working together. We need to look at this structure and find ways to make it more effective,” he said.
The planned UPL funding comes amid growing discussions within Government about increasing direct support to sports clubs.
In May, NCS general secretary Bernard Ogwel said the Council was considering increasing support to clubs, arguing that some clubs had demonstrated stronger organisation and accountability than their governing associations.
The NCS has previously supported clubs participating in continental competitions.
Kitara FC, for example, received Shs150 million from NCS to support its CAF Confederation Cup campaign against Somalia’s Mogadishu City Club.
The club had requested Shs200 million before Government approved Shs150 million for its continental preparations.
NCS funding guidelines require beneficiaries to submit budgets and operational plans and account for funds received.
For the UPL clubs, the Shs5.5 billion therefore comes with expectations beyond improved finances.
The clubs will be expected to demonstrate that the money is being used for its intended purpose, particularly player welfare, while maintaining proper financial records.
For the UPL board, the way clubs handle the funds could determine whether the current intervention develops into a longer-term Government support programme.
Rugyendo said the immediate priority was to ensure the money achieves its intended purpose and strengthens the domestic game.
The 2026/27 season will therefore provide an opportunity for clubs to demonstrate whether direct Government investment can improve player welfare while strengthening financial management across Uganda’s top-flight football.
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