Sports 9 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Coaches Champion FUFA Academies League as Key Talent Pipeline
Uganda's pilot FUFA Academies League in Buganda and Kampala regions is gaining praise from coaches for prioritizing player development over wins, with high-scoring matches highlighting the action. St Mary's Kitende and El Cambio lead unbeaten after posting impressive goal tallies in their victories. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/soccer/academies-league-a-necessary-pathway-coaches-5418426
The FUFA Academies League pilot phase, running in Buganda and Kampala, emphasizes nurturing young footballers aged 2011-2012 from Grade Two and Three academies. Coaches view it as essential for tracking progress and bridging grassroots to elite levels, aligning with FUFA’s Technical Master Plan and FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme.
El Cambio’s Abbey Kakumirizi stressed the focus on individual growth, noting their 5-2 win over Twinbrook left them joint-top with nine goals in two games. St Mary’s Kitende coach Richard Wasswa echoed this, praising their 7-2 thrashing of Watoto—highest scorers at 10 goals—as a competitive development platform, even fielding a second squad amid other commitments.
Rays of Grace shone with a 7-1 rout of Vipers SA, while other Buganda results included Kyaddondo’s 1-1 draw with Msingi and Ebenezer’s 0-0 stalemate against Buddo. In Kampala, Prosper crushed Teletubbies 6-0, Maroons edged Proline 1-0, KJT beat Edgars 3-0, Pase Pase won 4-0 over Kayda, and KS Sparta 09 triumphed 5-1 against Isra.
This structured competition provides rare opportunities for early talent identification and skill-building.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)