Black Smoke Rises From Kitende, Vipers’ ‘Balls’ are Still Heavy,Will Not Honor FUFA-UPL Double Header

Ugandan football has been thrown into fresh controversy after reigning champions Vipers Sports Club dramatically announced their withdrawal from the 2025/26 Uganda Premier League season, citing what they termed FUFA’s “unethical” handling of new league reforms.

In a strongly worded letter dated October 2, club president Dr. Lawrence Mulindwa informed the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) and the league secretariat that Vipers would not feature in their highly anticipated double-header against Kitara FC on October 4 at Namboole Stadium.

The club accuses FUFA of ignoring repeated warnings in earlier correspondences—August 23, September 23, and September 29—as well as during face-to-face meetings. Instead, Vipers claims it was met with “ridicule, blackmail, and public ostracization.”

“We do not only find this unethical and disrespectful but also a total disregard of what we go through as a privately owned football club to raise football to the level we have done and still do,” the letter partly reads.

Vipers says the timing and manner of the reforms threaten the club’s existence, adding that they will pursue legal and football-governing avenues to safeguard their rights as a FUFA member. The letter was copied to the Minister of Education and Sports, the National Council for Sports, sponsors, and fans.

The announcement sparked immediate reaction from supporters, with the hashtag #StandWithVipers trending on Ugandan social media. Fans have voiced anger at FUFA, urging dialogue to avert what many see as a dangerous precedent for the country’s top-flight football.

As pressure mounts, the spotlight is now firmly on FUFA and league organizers to respond to one of the country’s most successful clubs openly defying the federation’s directive.

With Vipers out, questions linger: Will FUFA stand its ground, or will this standoff force a rethink of the controversial new format?