Uganda could stand to benefit from a new partnership between the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) after the two bodies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at growing football across Africa and Europe.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Vancouver, Canada, by CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, with the deal set to run until June 30, 2031.
For Uganda, a CAF member association through FUFA, the agreement presents potential opportunities in youth football, women’s football, coach education, refereeing, governance and football development programmes.
One of the key areas in the agreement is youth and women’s football, where CAF member associations will participate in selected CAF-UEFA youth competitions and gain opportunities for reciprocal involvement in initiatives such as the CAF African Schools Football Championship.
Uganda has already been active in the CAF African Schools Football Championship. In this year’s edition, Uganda was represented by St. Mary’s Kitende, underlining the country’s growing presence in school football on the continent.
The MoU could also benefit Uganda’s women’s football structures, with CAF and UEFA pledging to expand opportunities for girls and women in football while promoting women’s health and wellbeing.
Coach education is another major area that could directly help Uganda, with the agreement focusing on sharing technical knowledge, best practices and collaborative learning activities to strengthen coaching structures across both confederations.
Ugandan coaches could gain access to improved training pathways and exchange programmes as FUFA continues to professionalise coaching standards across domestic and national team football.
Refereeing is also highlighted in the agreement, with opportunities for match officials and referee instructors to exchange knowledge. This could aid the development of Ugandan referees, who have in recent years earned more appointments to CAF and FIFA competitions.
The agreement also includes football development programmes designed to support long-term projects and partnerships between African and European member associations, which could benefit Uganda in areas such as infrastructure, grassroots football and talent development.
There are also provisions for education and capacity development, including access to selected programmes and cooperation in football medicine through dedicated training frameworks.
CAF president Motsepe said the partnership would help accelerate African football’s growth.
“African Football has experienced significant growth over the past few years and we continue to build towards making it among the best in the world,” Motsepe said.
“By signing the Memorandum of Understanding with UEFA, we are strengthening our historic ties and friendship between Africa and Europe that has seen some of the best African players succeeding in European leagues.”
He added: “This partnership with UEFA includes youth and women’s football, development, the education and training of coaches and referees, the enhancement of governance and institutional development.”
UEFA president Čeferin said the partnership would create more opportunities across both continents.
“Europe and Africa are home to extraordinary football landscapes, where the game plays a vital role both on the pitch and within society,” Čeferin said.
“This Memorandum of Understanding reflects our shared commitment to expanding opportunities for boys and girls in youth football, while harnessing the power of the game to advance women’s football and promote women’s health and wellbeing.”
The agreement also covers governance and coordination through regular meetings and progress reviews to ensure effective delivery of agreed activities.
For Uganda, the partnership could provide a timely boost as the country continues to invest in football development and prepare for major upcoming events, including co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside neighbours Kenya and Tanzania.
