The National Council of Sports (NCS) has identified serious gaps in the Federation of Uganda Football Associations’ (FUFA) bid for registration as a National Sports Organisation (NSO).
In a detailed letter dated August 11, 2025, and sent to FUFA’s leadership, the NCS cited ten areas where the application, submitted on June 19, 2025, falls short of the requirements under the National Sports Act and National Sports Regulations, 2025.
The review, which included a physical verification exercise in 115 districts, questioned FUFA’s claims of operating in 114 districts, with the council demanding proof of actual activity such as leadership lists, competition calendars, and player licenses to meet the legal threshold of 75 percent district participation.
The NCS also challenged the legitimacy of FUFA’s 2021 elective assembly.
While the meeting had 74 delegates, potentially satisfying the law’s requirement for representation from at least half of Uganda’s districts, the attendance sheet did not specify the districts represented.
The council ordered FUFA to clearly map district boundaries within its regional football associations and confirm district-level representation.
FUFA’s constitution also came under further scrutiny, with the NCS pointing out that it still refers to the federation as a “Trust,” contrary to the law that recognises registered sports bodies as corporate entities.
Other constitutional gaps include granting budget amendment powers to the Executive Committee instead of the General Assembly, failure to require the publication of annual audited accounts in widely circulated media, and omission of clauses on implementing General Assembly decisions and defining the limits of executive powers.
On dispute resolution, the council directed FUFA to remove the option of appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), stressing that the law makes arbitrators’ decisions final.
The NCS also faulted FUFA for submitting only photocopies of minutes approving its constitution instead of the originals, and for failing to provide NIRA-certified copies of national IDs or passports for its executive members.
It further requested evidence of affiliations with FIFA, CAF, and CECAFA, details on the management of amateur and professional football, and clarification on the year football was introduced in Uganda.
FUFA has been given five working days to address all deficiencies or face a decision based on the incomplete application, which means that the federation has until Friday to address the issues.
Failure to comply risks derailing FUFA’s registration process and could spark broader governance questions in Ugandan football.
