Kampala, Uganda: The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has confirmed that FUFA Big League will expand from 15 to 16 teams starting with the 2025–2026 season, with the newly created 16th slot allocated exclusively to the Northern Region Football Association (NRFA).
In an official statement released Wednesday, July 9, 2025, FUFA Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson said the decision to award an extra slot was reached by the FUFA Executive Committee as part of a broader effort to promote regional equity and league balance.
“This is to inform you that the FUFA Executive Committee has decided to increase the number of participating clubs in the FUFA Big League from fifteen (15) to sixteen (16) starting with the upcoming season,” the football governing body announced.
FUFA noted that the one-time allocation of the 16th slot to the Northern Region reflects an intentional move to bridge regional representation gaps in the country’s second-tier football league.
“In line with FUFA’s commitment to equitable regional representation and in recognition of the current disparity in regional club distribution, the Executive Committee has allocated the 16th slot to the Northern Region Football Association (NRFA), for only the season of 2025–2026.”
The federation further revealed that a promotion format will be developed moving forward to ensure fairness in how regional slots are determined in subsequent seasons.
The FUFA Big League serves as the primary feeder to the Uganda Premier League, and its expansion is expected to increase competition, create more opportunities for emerging talent, and stimulate local football development across Uganda.
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