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Uganda Premier League

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Uganda Premier League
Founded1968
CountryUganda
ConfederationCAF
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toFUFA Big League
Domestic cup(s)Ugandan Cup
Super 8
International cup(s)Champions League
Confederation Cup
Current championsSC Villa (17th title)
(2023–24)
Most championshipsSC Villa (17 titles)
Top goalscorerMajid Musisi
(113 goals)
Websitewww.upl.co.ug
Current: 2024–25 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.[1] The league's roots date back to 1968 when the National First Division League was established.[2]

History

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Original concept

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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 (fourth-place finish) and 1968 (lost all three group stage matches), both held in Ethiopia. The intention was to start a Uganda National League (the forerunner of the Uganda Super 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.[3]

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

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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

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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]

Previous winners

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Years Champions
1968–69 Prisons FC (1)
1969 Prisons FC (2)
1970 Coffee United Sports Club (1)
1971 Simba FC (1)
1972 Not held
1973 Not held
1974 Express FC (1)
1975 Express FC (2)
1976 Kampala City Council (1)
1977 Kampala City Council (2)
1978 Simba FC (2)
1979 Uganda Commercial Bank FC (1)
1980 Nile Breweries FC (1)
1981 Kampala City Council (3)
1982 Villa SC (1)
1983 Kampala City Council (4)
1984 Villa SC (2)
1985 Kampala City Council (5)
1986 Villa SC (3)
1987 Villa SC (4)
1988 Villa SC (5)
1989 Villa SC (6)
1990 Villa SC (7)
1991 Kampala City Council (6)
1992 Villa SC (8)
1993 Express FC (3)
1994 Villa SC (9)
1995 Express FC (4)
1996 Express FC (5)
1997 Kampala City Council (7)
1998 Villa SC (10)
1999 Villa SC (11)
2000 Villa SC (12)
2001 Villa SC (13)
2002 Villa SC (14)
2002–03 Villa SC (15)
2004 Villa SC (16)
2005 Police FC (1)
2006 Uganda Revenue Authority SC (1)
2006–07 Uganda Revenue Authority SC (2)
2007–08 Kampala City Council (8)
2008–09 Uganda Revenue Authority SC (3)
2009–10 Vipers SC (1)
2010–11 Uganda Revenue Authority SC (4)
2011–12 Express FC (6)
2012–13 Kampala City Council (9)
2013–14 Kampala City Council (10)
2014–15 Vipers SC (2)
2015–16 Kampala City Council (11)
2016–17 Kampala City Council (12)
2017–18 Vipers SC (3)
2018–19 Kampala City Council (13)
2019–20 Vipers SC[7] (4)
2020–21 Express FC (7)
2021–22 Vipers SC (5)
2022–23 Vipers SC (6)
2023–24 Villa SC (17)

Performances by club

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Club Previous names Settlement Titles Championship Seasons
SC Villa Nakivubo Boys
Nakivubo Villa		 Kampala
17
 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2002–03, 2004, 2023–24
Kampala Capital City Authority FC Kampala City Council FC Kampala
13
 1976, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1997, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19
Express FC Express Red Eagles Kampala
7
 1974, 1975, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2011–12, 2020–21
Vipers SC Bunamwaya SC Wakiso
6
 2009–10, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23
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

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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.[11]

Multiple hat-tricks

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Rank Country Player Hat-tricks
1 Uganda Olobo Bruno 3
2 Uganda Emmanuel Okwi 2
Uganda Peter Ssenyonjo
4 Uganda Moses Aduni 4
Uganda Oscar Kadenge
Uganda David Kalungi
Uganda Ismael Kigosi
Uganda Hamis Kitagenda
Uganda Hisborne Mundia
Uganda Andrew Nkurunungi
Uganda Augustine Nsumba
Uganda Tony Odur
Uganda Cesar Okhuti
Uganda Denis Ojara
Uganda Allan Okello
Uganda Brian Omwony
Uganda Denis Onyango

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Richard M Kavuma (2009-05-05). "Ugandan football struggles to compete with English Premier League | Katine". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  2. ^ a b c "FUFA Files: History of the Uganda Super League". Soccer256. Archived from the original on 2010-10-07. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  3. ^ a b "Uganda Super League reaping from 1968 Sand Foundation". FUFA. 29 December 2011. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  4. ^ a b "Origin of the Uganda Super League (USL)". USL Ltd. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  5. ^ "HB ZZIWA: Villa's 22–1 win over Akol killed Ugandan football". The Observer. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  6. ^ "Top 10 List: Match fixing episodes in Ugandan football". The Observer. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  7. ^ Collins Nabiswa (20 May 2020). "OFFICIAL: Vipers SC declared Uganda Premier League champions after league is cancelled". futaa.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Top 10 Strikers ever in the Ugandan Top Flight Football League". kawowo.com. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  9. ^ "FUFA Monthly" (PDF). fufa.co.ug. 2015. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  10. ^ "KCCA's Ochaya is 2015–16 UPL Most Valuable Player". upl.co.ug. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  11. ^ "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.
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