University Football League returns bigger; promises fireworks

The Pepsi University Football League (UFL) 2025/2026 season got underway on September 25.

The league will be bigger with five new entrants and the return of familiar names. The draws, held on September 18 at Kati Kati restaurant in Kampala, confirmed a record 29 universities take part in this year’s edition.

Last season, 23 universities participated in the competition. King Ceasor University, Mountains of the Moon University, African Renewal University, Soroti University and Lira University are the newcomers, while Bishop Stuart and Kyambogo University have returned from suspension.

Makerere University won the inaugural championship in 2012, setting the tone for others to follow. Kampala University quickly emerged as a powerhouse, taking the crown in 2013 and 2016.

The mid-2010s were dominated by Makerere University Business School (Mubs), who lifted back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015, before Uganda Martyrs University followed in 2018, and Uganda Christian University (UCU) joined the elite list of winners in 2019.

The disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the competition roared back to life with Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi cementing themselves as a modern-day giant, winning in 2022 and 2025, while Nkumba University’s fairytale run in 2024 stands as the most decorated side, with three championships to their name.

The teams were pooled into five groups;

Group A: Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mountains of the Moon, Uganda Martyrs, University of Kisubi, Kampala International University (KIU), Kampala University

Group B: Bugema, Kabale, Bishop Stuart, Muteesa 1, African Renewal, International University of East Africa (IUEA)

Group C: Nkumba, Busitema, Soroti, YMCA, ISBAT, Kyambogo

Group D: St. Lawrence, Muni, Lira, Gulu, Makerere University Business School (MUBS)

Group E: Islamic University In Uganda (IUIU), King Ceasor, Kumi, Makerere, Uganda Christian University (UCU) and Ndejje.