The 13th edition of the Pepsi University Football League (UFL) is set to deliver another season of drama, passion and campus bragging rights after the group stage draws were conducted today at Kati Kati Restaurant in Kampala.
Two-time champions and defending holders Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi (UMU), winners in 2017 and 2024/25, headline Group A where they will battle former winners Kampala University, Kampala International University (KIU), Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST), UNIK and newcomers Mountains of the Moon University. It is a pool laced with pedigree, experience and hungry debutants ready to spring surprises.
Last season’s champions Nkumba University landed in a tricky Group C alongside fellow champions Kyambogo University (2021), plus Busitema, Soroti, YMCA and ISBAT. The clash between Nkumba and Kyambogo is already tipped to be one of the biggest fixtures of the group stage.
The much-feared “Group of Death” is Group E, where heavyweights Makerere University, Uganda Christian University (UCU), Ndejje University and Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) have been pitted together. Joining them are Kumi University and debutants King Censor University, making every game in this pool a do-or-die battle.
Elsewhere, Group D brings together big boys St. Lawrence University (SLAU) and Makerere University Business School (MUBS) who will clash early. They share the pool with new entrants Lira University, Muni University and Gulu University.
Group B features Kabale University, Bugisu University (BSU), Muteesa I Royal University, Bugema University, Africa Renewal University and IUEA, promising tightly contested ties.
New Faces Add Spice
This year, the UFL welcomes five debutants: Mountains of the Moon University, Censor University, Africa Renewal University, Soroti University and Lira University. Their arrival has injected a fresh level of excitement, unpredictability and intrigue into the competition.
New Format, Higher Stakes
For the first time, the quarterfinal lineup will be determined by the five group winners and the three best second-placed teams. This means every point, goal, and performance will matter, leaving no room for complacency.
Legacy of the UFL
Since its inception in 2012 with only six institutions, the UFL has grown into Uganda’s biggest platform for university football. The first season saw Makerere University crowned inaugural champions, with MUBS, Nkumba, Kyambogo, KIU and UMU completing the pioneering cast.
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