The Federation of Uganda’s Football Association (FUFA) has entered into a groundbreaking four-year partnership with Finance Trust Bank, marking a significant milestone for women’s football in Uganda. The partnership, valued at UGX 2 billion, represents the first major private investment in women’s football since the establishment of the league in 2015.
As part of the agreement, Finance Trust Bank will acquire the title rights for Uganda’s top two women’s football leagues, which will now be known as the Finance Trust Women Super League and the Finance Trust Women Elite League. The partnership was officially announced on Thursday during a media briefing.
FUFA President Moses Magogo highlighted the importance of this partnership in the ongoing development of women’s football in Uganda, noting that the progress has been gradual but fruitful.
“In 2013, FUFA made the difficult decision to withdraw our U20 Women’s National Team after they eliminated South Sudan with a 22-0 aggregate score. At the time, we didn’t have any formal leagues, so we went back to the drawing board and created the FUFA Women Elite League first, followed by the FUFA Women Super League,” Magogo explained. “That painful decision has now borne fruit, and we are grateful to have Finance Trust Bank on board to support women’s football.”
Under the terms of the partnership, FUFA will receive UGX 1.7 billion over the next four years, with an annual disbursement of UGX 350 million. Of this, UGX 100 million will be allocated to an annual women’s football bonanza, while UGX 250 million will be distributed annually between the Women Super League and the Women’s Elite League. Additionally, UGX 50 million is earmarked for sponsorship activation efforts.
Finance Trust Bank’s Managing Director, Annet Nakawunde, expressed enthusiasm about the bank’s involvement in women’s sports. “We are thrilled to extend our support to women in sports,” Nakawunde said. “We look forward to exploring opportunities for women in football to join our team at Finance Trust Bank, leveraging their skills and passion to drive success both on and off the pitch.”
Over the past decade, FUFA has placed a strong emphasis on the development of women’s football, which has seen remarkable growth—from fewer than 200 players in 2015 to over 6,000 active participants today. Magogo also emphasized the unique significance of women’s football in Uganda, given that women constitute the majority of the country’s population.
It is also noteworthy that when the Ugandan government increased FUFA’s funding to UGX 17 billion, a substantial portion—at least UGX 7 billion—was reportedly allocated specifically for the development of women’s football.
The 2024/25 season of the Finance Trust Women Super League is set to kick off next month, followed closely by the Finance Trust Women Elite League. This partnership is expected to provide a significant boost to the development and visibility of women’s football in Uganda.