The Uganda Premier League, known as the StarTimes Uganda Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Uganda and the highest level of the Ugandan football league system. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA). Seasons usually run from August to May, with each team playing 34 matches: two against each other team, one home and one away. Most games are played on weekday afternoons, with occasional weekend evening fixtures.
The league was previously known as the Uganda Super League but changed in the 2014–15 season after new management taking over. The league's roots date back to 1968 when the National First Division League was established.
History
Original concept 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.
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. The league was known as the National First Division League, and the first league champions were Prisons FC Kampala (now known as Maroons).
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).
Super League advent 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.
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 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. Fans became increasingly disillusioned and deserted the stadia thus affecting the teams financially. The episode represented one of many that has plagued Ugandan football.
Clubs Champions ClubPrevious names Settlement Titles Championship Seasons Villa Nakivubo Boys Nakivubo Villa Kampala 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2002–03, 2004, 2023–24 KCCA Kampala City Council Kampala 1976, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1997, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19 Vipers Bunamwaya SC Wakiso 2009–10, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024-25, 2025–26 Express Express Red Eagles Kampala 1974, 1975, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2011–12, 2020–21 Uganda Revenue Authority — Kampala 2006, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11 Maroons Prisons Kampala 1968–69, 1969 Simba Army Lugazi 1971, 1978 Coffee United — Kakira 1970 Nile Breweries — Jinja 1980 Police — Jinja 2005 Uganda Commercial Bank — Kampala 1979
Top scorers
Year Top scorers Team Goals1968–69John Owubwe Simba 1969 Ali Kitonsa Express 361970Erickson Matega Express 1971 Polly Ouma Simba 181972 Paschal LuwaggaExpress 1973 Joy Ssebuliba Lint FC 17*1974 Peter Kirumira Express 141975 Chris Ddungu KCC FC 121976 John Ntesibe Express 221977 Denis Obua Uganda Police FC 241978 Jimmy Kirunda KCC FC 321979 Davis Kamoga KCC FC 181980 Davis Kamoga KCC FC 211981 Issa Ssekatawa Nytil FC 181982 Issa Ssekatawa Express 221983 Issa Ssekatawa Express 211984 Frank Kyazze KCC FC 181985 Frank Kyazze KCC FC 281986 Charles Letti Tobacco FC 291987 Majid Musisi SC Villa 281988 Mathias Kaweesa Nsambya FC 171989 Majid Musisi SC Villa 151990 Majid Musisi SC Villa 281991 Mathias Kaweesa Coffee United 181992 Majid Musisi SC Villa 291993 Mathias Kaweesa SC Villa 201994 Adolf Bora Coffee United 211995 Ibrahim Kizito Uganda Electricity Board FC 201996 David Kiwanuka Uganda Electricity Board FC 211997 Jackson Mayanja Charles Ogwang KCC FC Umeme FC 18 1998 Charles Kayemba SC Villa 181999 Andrew Mukasa SC Villa 452000 Andrew Mukasa SC Villa 27
Year Top scorers Team Goals2001 Hassan Mubiru Express 242002 Hassan Mubiru Express 222002–03 Hassan Mubiru Express 162004 Osborn Mundia Kinyara FC 132005 Martin Muwanga Geoffrey Sserunkuma Police KCC FC 82006 Dan Walusimbi Police 152006–07 Hamis Kitagenda Uganda Revenue Authority SC 202007–08 Brian Umony Olobo Bruno KCC FC Police 15 2008–09 Peter Ssenyonjo Police 222009–10 Tony Odur Bunamwya 212010–11 Diego Hamis Kiiza Uganda Revenue Authority SC 142011–12 Robert Ssentongo Uganda Revenue Authority SC 132012–13 Herman Wasswa SC Villa and KCC FC 20 2013–14 Tony Odur Francis Solaki KCC Soana FC 152014–15 Robert Ssentongo Uganda Revenue Authority SC 152015–16 Robert Ssentongo Uganda Revenue Authority SC 182016–17 Geoffrey Sserunkuma KCCA FC 202017–18 Dan Sserunkuma Vipers 172018–19 Juma Balinya Police 192019–20 Steven Mukwala Maroons 132020–21 Yunus Sentamu Vipers 162021–22 Cesar Manzoki Vipers 182022–23 Allan KawiyaExpress132023–24Muhammad ShabanKampala City172024–25Allan OkelloVipers192025–26Ivan AhimbisibweKCCA14
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.
Multiple hat-tricks Rank Country PlayerHat-tricks 1Olobo Bruno 32 Emmanuel Okwi2Peter Ssenyonjo3Moses Aduni1Oscar KadengeDavid Kalungi Ismael Kigosi Hamis Kitagenda Hisborne MundiaAndrew Nkurunungi Augustine NsumbaTony Odur Cesar Okhuti Denis OjaraAllan OkelloBrian Omwony Denis Onyango
Sponsorship PeriodSponsorBrand1998–2003Nile Breweries Limited Nile Special Super League 2003–2005 TOP Radio TOP Radio Super League 2005–2013Bell Lager Bell Lager Super League 2013–2014Airtel Uganda Airtel Uganda Super League2014–2015 Airtel Uganda Premier League 2015–2018 Azam TV Azam TV Uganda Premier League StarTimes StarTimes Uganda Premier League
Qualification for CAF competitions Association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season The association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2020–21 to the 2024–25 season.
Legend CL: CAF Champions League CC: CAF Confederation Cup ≥: Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2024–25 CAF club competitions
Rank Association 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 Total 2025 2024 Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC11 —837482.57710422 —469582245534 +182544341.59343 -1657165235556 +130.50234602465 -14351426130.578 +110502031.52287 -1400312402099 —30303020301011 +100010330121110 -100.50500.503001212 —02000202011315 +20000010210.51414 —00000013001513 -220102000.5001619 +30010001000.51721 +412000000011817 -100000020001918 -100010100.5002016 -40300.51000002122 +100000100002222 —000010000023- new0000000000.52420 -401.500.50000002524 -10000.50000002524 -1 0000.50000002726 -100.500000000
See also
Federation of Uganda Football Associations
References
External links League at FIFA.com (archived 22 June 2007) RSSSF competition history