What started as a lighthearted pastime has become some sort of tradition in Ugandan rugby.
Every Easter holiday, mainstream competitions organised by the Uganda Rugby Union take a break. But on Good Friday, to kickstart the four-day weekend, players and fans engage in a touch rugby gala.
The first two editions of the Good Friday Touch Rugby Gala in 2018 and 2019 were hosted at The Graveyard in Makerere and from 2021, all roads have led to Kings Park Bweyogerere.
The Rugby Chill will this year host its fourth successive edition as the gala evolves and grows into a festival.
🏉Get ready for the ultimate showdown at the Good Friday Touch Rugby Gala 2025! Meet the teams, bring your A-game, and let’s make it a day of epic fun at Kings Park Arena,Bweyogerere on April 18th. Beer, water breaks, and maximum fun guaranteed! 🍻 #TouchRugbyGala #GoodFriday2025 pic.twitter.com/mJs48vxI80
— The Rugby Chill®️ (@TheRugbyChill) April 15, 2025
Sixteen teams have been entered into this year’s festival. They are; Fat Cats, Bugy PR, Naguru Homeboys, Axe Gang, Tag Rugby All Stars and Totos, Acholi Quarters, Sitting (Kasasiro), Headquarters, Fukho, Trojans, Ba Sweet Bebes, Responsible Hooligans, Kyadondo, Swans and the hosts Rugby Chill.
The teams have been capped at fourteen members and, as a mandatory requirement, must include at least two female players.
Matches will be played following the Federation of International Touch Rugby laws.
Not Just Touch Rugby
There will be other events alongside the touch rugby; including seven-a-side football, tug of war, board & mind games, and the crowd favourite sack race. Karaoke has also been added to the list for music lovers.
As is the tradition at rugby events in the country, after the games, a selection of Kampala’s deejays will entertain revellers into the night.
