Domestic soccer braces for wholesome changes
Captain Dissan Galiwango (R)’s Express FC have dangerously flirted with relegation in the last couple of seasons. They will hope to steer clear of the drop zone next season since six clubs will likely be going down. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE
KAMPALA- Ugandan football will be curving out a new direction starting next season, with the 2021/22 campaign taking the project into a full-blown drive.
In a statement posted on Fufa website on Friday and dated March 24, Fufa proposed reforms that will affect over two divisions of leagues across the country.
Among the major proposals is the StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) clubs reducing from 16 to 12, and each top-flight team adopting an U20 team for the new reserve league.
The 2020/21 season will act as a transition period, with UPL clubs starting out at the usual 16 before relegating six, instead of the current three, at the end of that campaign.
This is to ensure the take-off 2021/22 season begins with 12, which include the two that will have been promoted from the Big League. Currently, three get promoted.
Instead of the two home and away rounds currently, the 2021/22 Premier League season will be played over three rounds.
The determinant
“So the first round, each club will play 11 matches, same with the second, and for the third; things like head to head will come in to determine who hosts,” explained Ahmed Hussein, the Fufa head of communications.
Every First Division club shall also be compelled to have an U20 team to compete in the reserve league played over two rounds.
“A player with a first division licence may play in the reserve league and player with a reserve league licence may play in the first division league.”
The FA statement adds that the proposals were approved by the Fufa executive committee after a “wide scale consultations with First Division clubs, Second Division clubs, sponsors (and the) UPL management.”
Others are the Fufa Regional Football Associations and the general public/football fraternity.
The First Division and Second Division, plus the UPL U20 Reserve Leagues will be under the Professional League Board and Professional League Secretariat, replacing the current UPL Board and UPL Secretariat respectively.
Fufa Juniors’ Leagues will be established at each of the eight FA regions in the country, with each consisting of 12 teams.
The federation, however, say they are still open to ideas from the general public via [email protected].
These ideas and views, according to Hussein, will be compiled and debated on when Fufa organise the review workshop before the kick-off of the 2020/2021 season.
