State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang has pledged to investigate reports of unpaid and partially paid allowances involving Uganda’s national team players during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The move follows widespread claims that some players received 2,500 US dollars instead of the promised 7,000 dollars in game and camp allowances. There are also concerns regarding a 10,000 dollar bonus tied to AFCON qualification.
Ogwang said he was not aware of the allegations but will demand a formal explanation from the Federation of Uganda Football Associations. According to the minister, government met its financial commitment by releasing 19 billion Uganda Shillings to the federation to facilitate national team activities.
He maintained that funding national teams is a statutory obligation under the National Sports Act, which requires government to support Uganda’s participation in international competitions.
“As a government, it’s our responsibility to provide all the necessary funding to support the national team. If there are concerns about payments to players, the federation must explain”, says Ogwang.
The minister added that since taking office, he has ensured the ministry fulfills its responsibilities to sports federations and national teams. He warned that any failure to properly compensate players could affect morale and undermine government investment in sport, particularly at major continental tournaments such as the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Ministry of Sports is now expected to formally engage the federation as public scrutiny grows over the AFCON payment concerns.
