Vipers SC and SC Villa have formally rejected the Federation of Uganda Football Associations’ (FUFA) sweeping reforms for the upcoming Uganda Premier League (UPL) season.
In a joint-letter dated August 23, and addressed to FUFA CEO Edgar Watson, SC Villa president Hajji Omar Mandela and Vipers president Dr. Lawrence Mulindwa dismissed the reforms as ill-conceived, undemocratic, and a threat to the stability of the game.
Between them, Villa and Vipers hold 24 league titles, with Villa the record champions on 17 and Vipers the reigning holders on seven.
Their rejection is in sharp contrast to FUFA’s announcement that all the league clubs had agreed to the changes.
However, reports indicate that 13 UPL clubs consented to the reforms, while KCCA did not outrightly reject the format but instead provided suggestions for alternatives.
The reforms, announced on August 20, propose a three-phase competition structure. Sixteen teams would play a one-leg first round to split into two groups of eight.
The second round would see each group play a full home-and-away league, with the top six from the leading group moving into a title-deciding phase and the bottom six from the other group battling relegation. All points from earlier rounds would be reset.
Villa and Vipers attacked the proposals on four key fronts.
First, they questioned the fairness of resetting points after the first phase, saying it undermines consistency and damages sporting integrity. They also warned of potential imbalances in home and away fixtures.
Second, they strongly opposed the new revenue-sharing model, which would see home clubs retain only 85 percent of gate collections in single-header matches and as little as 35 percent in double-headers.
They described this as an assault on club finances, noting that teams already carry the bulk of match-day costs.
Third, they raised legal concerns, pointing to a new rule requiring players to have at least two years left on their contracts to feature, which they said restricts employment rights.
They also accused FUFA of violating the Data Protection and Privacy Act by forcing clubs to share business and sporting data.
Finally, they warned that the new format is too complex for fans and sponsors, calling it a commercial liability that could disrupt existing sponsorship agreements tied to the traditional format.
The two clubs have demanded the suspension of the reforms, the convening of an inclusive stakeholder forum, and the rejection of the proposed financial and registration changes.
