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Sport in Uganda

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Sport is highly valued in Uganda and is represented by around 20 sports organised in associations. Football, athletics, boxing, golf and further sports are actively pursued.

Football

The most popular sport in Uganda is football, organised by the national football association (Federation of Uganda Football Association). The top division today is the Uganda Premier League – a professional league (founded in 1968; from the 2026/27 season with 18 clubs). The record champions are SC Villa with 17 titles; the reigning champions of 2025/26 are the Vipers. The Uganda Cup is also played annually. In addition, the many children of Uganda can join clubs. One of the best known of these is SC Villa. The record of the Ugandan national team (The Cranes) has been modest to this day. Uganda’s greatest successes so far came in the “CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup (Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations)”, a championship of the East and Central African countries in the form of friendly matches. In this competition Uganda is the record holder with 15 titles (wins between 1973 and 2019; the most recent title dates from 2019).

On the FIFA World Ranking for men, Uganda currently holds 87th place with 1,278 points (as of October 2026). For comparison, the placings of the German-speaking countries:

  • Switzerland: 12th place, 1,725 points
  • Germany: 13th place, 1,717 points
  • Austria: 22nd place, 1,601 points
  • Uganda: 87th place, 1,278 points
  • Luxembourg: 101st place, 1,218 points
  • Liechtenstein: 207th place, 790 points

Uganda’s greatest success at the African championships dates back to 1978, with second place. Uganda has not yet qualified for a World Cup. Uganda qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco – it was the first participation since 2019 –, but did not get beyond the group stage.

You can watch a league match in Kampala in two stadiums:

  • Hamz Stadium (Nakivubo), Kampala – demolished in 2017 and rebuilt, around 35,000 seats; reopened on 1 June 2024
  • Nelson Mandela Sport Stadium Jinja Road, Namboole, 45,000 seats

Further links on football in Uganda

Athletics

The Olympic ringsUgandans are more successful internationally in athletics. Since 1956, athletes from Uganda have regularly taken part in the Summer Games. In the all-time medal table Uganda holds 13 medals (5 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze), 72nd place (as of after the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris). The highlight was certainly the gold medal in the 400 m hurdles by John Akii-Bua with a world record time in 1972 in Munich. Today’s figureheads are Joshua Cheptegei (Olympic champion 2021 and 2024), Peruth Chemutai and Jacob Kiplimo (half marathon world record in 57:20 minutes, March 2026).

Further links on athletics

Boxing

Boxing is gaining in importance. Besides the successes at the Olympic Games, a number of medals were won at the Commonwealth Games.

Golf

Golf has also become more popular recently. In Kampala, Entebbe and Jinja, excellent golf courses have been created in the recent past, which are also made accessible to holidaymakers through short-term memberships. The best-known courses are:

  • Kampala Golf Club, Kitante Road, Kampala, 18-hole course
  • Entebbe Golf Club, Entebbe Road, Entebbe, 9-hole course
  • Garuga Golf and Country Club, Entebbe Road, Entebbe, 18-hole course
  • Jinja Club, Nile Crescent Road, Jinja (directly on Lake Victoria), 9-hole course

Further sports on offer and contact details

The sports on offer for tourists are adequate to good. Besides the golf described above, there are further options for bowling, mountain biking, horse riding (for example with “Nile Horseback Safaris”), swimming, sailing, squash and tennis. An overview as well as many contact details are provided by the website of the tourist magazine “The Eye Magazine”.

Further link to further (sports) offers