Kitara head of resource mobilisation Deo Kasozi has downplayed concerns that the Uganda Premier League would collapse if Vipers SC, SC Villa and NEC FC withdrew in protest over the new three-round format.
Kasozi, while acknowledging the stature of the three clubs, argued that no single team is bigger than the game.
He pointed to the FUFA Super 8 tournament, which has continued without Vipers, as proof that competitions can go on even without the most prominent sides.
“I want to assure you, the costs of Vipers, Villa and NEC not playing are higher on their side than on the league as a whole,” Kasozi said.
“Yes, Vipers and Villa have big fan bases, but football does not stop because one or two teams are absent. The disadvantages would weigh more heavily on them than on the 13 clubs that remain.”
Kasozi also expressed respect for Vipers president Lawrence Mulindwa, describing him as a figure who has shaped Ugandan football, but he made it clear that this did not mean endorsing his opposition to the reforms.
He added that while he expects the three clubs will eventually play under the new format, the league is strong enough to continue if they choose otherwise.
The 2025/26 Uganda Premier League season is scheduled to kick off on September 26 under the new structure, which splits the competition into three rounds, culminating in a final six-team championship group.
