The seventh edition of the Elite Games has begun at Janan Secondary School Bombo, with teams already on site ahead of four days of competition that run until March 1.
The top eight schools across selected disciplines return to action in what has become a key marker in the secondary school sports calendar. While the tournament spans just a few days, its influence often stretches across the entire season.
This year’s edition opens with notable transitions. Buddo Secondary School, last year’s National champions, arrive without head coach Richard Malinga, who guided them to title success. Their squad also looks different, with former MVP Owen Mukisa now featuring for St Mary’s Boarding School Kitende, a direct competitor and one of the most decorated school teams in Uganda.
Kitende begin their campaign under mounting expectation. The 11 time National champions have gone two straight seasons without lifting a trophy. Their return to the Elite Games, having last featured in 2022 when they hosted, signals a clear push to reset the narrative early in the year.
The Elite Games have increasingly served as a predictor of national performance. Last season, Buddo’s netball side converted Elite gold into a maiden USSSA Ball Games II title in Tororo. In girls football, St Noa Girls followed up their Elite triumph with National success before extending their dominance to the FEASSA Games in Kakamega, Kenya.
As action gets underway in Bombo, attention shifts to how new squads, reshuffled technical benches and emerging talent will respond to the first major test of 2026.
For many, the objective is simple: build momentum now and carry it into the decisive stages of the school sports calendar.
