Clubs relish timely cash injection

State minister for sports Peter Ogwang (L) received a book detailing Fufa's five-year strategic plan from the the associations' president Moses Magogo (middle) as the chief executive officer Edgar Watson looks on. PHOTO/AMINAH BABIRYE   

What you need to know:

Fufa president Moses Magogo, who also doubles as owner of current Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) leaders Kampala Queens, made the announcement in Gulu on Saturday.


Women football clubs have described the Shs460m cash injection promised to them by Fufa, at last weekend's General Assembly, in the coming financial year beginning January 2023 as "a timely intervention."

Fufa president Moses Magogo, who also doubles as owner of current Fufa Women Super League (FWSL) leaders Kampala Queens, made the announcement in Gulu last Saturday.

The money, we initially suspected, was part of the Shs15bn from the Government that was ring-fenced by Parliament for football in June. At the time, Magogo said the executive and General Assembly would decide how the money would be distributed.

But Fufa's head of communication Ahmed Hussein, clarified that: "it is from (various) Fufa sources so you cannot just point to government. It can also grow if we get more sponsors for the leagues." 

The clubs will probably not care where it comes from as long as it hits their accounts.

"It is great gesture and hopefully it comes in time because it can push us a good deal," She Corporate chairman Richard Kawere, said.

Fufa started the FWSL in 2020 to prepare clubs for the Champions League and that has come with the inevitable consequences of professionalization. 

Clear need
In short, clubs need money to survive, compete and take care of the players. With few fans at the grounds and next to no merchandising ventures and corporate sponsors, the club owners and Fufa as the runners of the league an remain the biggest cash benefactors.

"We are spending everyday but the biggest expenses are the wages of the players and the technical team. 

We need money especially at the beginning of the season when we have spent a lot on transfers and renewing contracts," Lady Doves team manager Godfrey Nsingirwe, said.

Masindi-based Doves probably travel the most for games - moving over 4,000km combined in six trips to and fro Kampala, and once to Mukono, Wakiso and Soroti. 

Nsingirwe said they "need about Shs4m to travel for our furthest away game in Soroti. This goes to fuel, accommodation - which is usually two or three nights, meals, and medical care because with such journeys you cannot avoid having girls that return home sick."

Kawere says She Corporate also spend about the same for their journeys out of the central region as the players and officials must have "logistics, at least nine meals for three days and also get allowances irrespective of the results." That is before the bonuses for the required results kick in.

The expenses go down for home games but not significantly as they money is turned to paying for security, medical services and setting up the ground.

For those who hire the pitches like Asubo-Gafford, Rines SS and Kampala Queens, there are even more expenses to consider.

Other interventions 
Beyond the cash injection, Fufa have since last season taken the FWSL players' insurance into consideration growing their investment in this from a reported Shs600m to take care of male players to about Shs1bn to include women.

She Corporate forward Ronah Regina Nantege is one of the beneficiaries as the scheme took care of her surgery at the end of last season.

The federation also takes care of production of some FWSL games, pays the referees handling women's games.

"We are also paying the head coach, assistant and goalkeeper coaches of the women's national team. The other funds for women go to the national teams and capacity building interventions," Hussein added.

The numbers

460 - Fufa will inject Shs460m in the women's football pyramid in January

300 - The 10 Fufa Women Super League clubs will get Shs30m each

160 - The 16 Fufa Women Elite League clubs will get Shs10m each