The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has reached an agreement with the 18 Kampala Regional Football Association Third Division clubs to introduce the split league format for the 2025/26 season.
The arrangement marks a return to the reform that was recently suspended at Uganda Premier League level after backlash from fans top-tier clubs.
This time, FUFA plans to test the system in a lower division to assess its practicality and acceptance before considering wider implementation.
Under the new setup, the 18 teams will play a single round in the first phase, with each side facing the others once. After this stage, the league will split into two groups, the top nine and the bottom nine, based on points.
In the second phase, the top nine teams will compete for the championship and promotion slots, while the bottom nine will battle to avoid relegation.
FUFA has committed over 800 million shillings to support the initiative.
The funds will cover prize money, locker-room bonuses, man-of-the-match awards, referee payments, and operational expenses for the Kampala Regional League.
The winner of the league will walk away with 20 million shillings, a record payout for the division, while additional financial incentives will be provided throughout the season to reward performance and professionalism.
The FUFA Executive Committee and representatives from all 18 clubs endorsed the plan during a meeting in Kampala, which FUFA described as “constructive and progressive.”
Officials said the pilot will provide key lessons before any future rollouts to higher divisions.
