Why Big League teams were excluded from Super 8

Kitara FC celebrating their 2022/23 FUFA Big League triumph | Kitara FC Image

FOOTBALL Why Big League teams were excluded from Super 8

Brian Aheebwa • 16:11 - 30.07.2023

BUL FC and Wakiso Giants FC, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the UPL, have joined the competition at the expense of Kitara FC and Mbarara City FC, who were first and second apiece in the FBL.

The FUFA Super 8 tournament is back after a four-year COVID-19 interruption with a change in the format of the participants.

From the previous editions, the competition accommodated the top six Uganda Premier League sides and the top two FUFA Big League teams from the past season.

However, that has been revised with all eight slots given to the UPL from the 2022/2023 campaign.

Mbarara City FC were promoted as the second placed team from the Big League to the UPL | Mbarara City FC Image

“From the start of the competition in 2018, I did not agree with the format of six UPL teams and two Big League teams,” UPL Chairman Bernard Bainamani told Pulse Sports before adding.

“I don't think the top two teams from the Big League usually perform better than the seventh and eighth teams from the Uganda Premier League.”

“But still, three teams were promoted to the UPL. Why consider only the top two? How about the third? They also deserve equality.”

He added: “So we decided to change the format going forward starting with the 2023/24 season, and we hope it will help the teams involved to prepare well for the forthcoming season.”

BUL FC and Wakiso Giants FC, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the UPL, have joined the competition at the expense of Kitara FC and Mbarara City FC, who were first and second apiece in the FBL.

At the draws conducted at FUFA Complex in Mengo on Wednesday, holders Vipers SC, also the UPL Champions, were drawn against BUL, and the latter will host the former in Jinja.

Last season's runners-up in the UPL KCCA FC, who lost to Vipers in this competition's final in 2019, will visit Wakiso Giants at Kyabaggu.

UPL record champions SC Villa who lost the title on the season's final day and ended up finishing third will host Maroons FC, who were impressively sixth at Wankulukuku.

The other fixture will be played between last campaign's fourth and fifth-placed Arua Hill SC and URA FC, respectively, in Lugazi.

These quarterfinals will be played in one leg, and penalties will be the tiebreaker should the teams be inseparable within 90 minutes.

Holders of the FUFA Super 8 Vipers SC | FUFA

When four teams advance to the semifinals, the losing quarterfinalists will play classification games to determine positions five to eight.

The competition will be played between August 4 and 18, with the final to be played on a neutral ground as usual.

KCCA FC lost the 2019 FUFA Super 8 to Vipers SC | FUFA Image

Vipers defeated KCCA 2-1 in the final at Wankulukuku thanks to Fahad Bayo's brace for the Venoms, while the Kasasiro Boys scored through John Revita the last time the tourney was held in 2019.

MTN and Nile Special are now the main sponsors of the competition, succeeding Pilsner, who was on board in the last two editions.