Reviewed by Michael AinomugishaUganda sports betting writer
Published 24 August 2026
The Uganda Premier League secretariat released the first round fixtures on Saturday 22 August, and the 2026/27 season opens on Friday 28 August with Vipers hosting Entebbe UPPC at St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende at 8pm. The league runs with eighteen clubs this season, up from sixteen.
The fixtures came out only after the club licensing process closed, which is why they arrived six days before kick off rather than in July. The league confirmed the release once licensing was concluded, and the calendar has moved forward from its traditional September slot.
Why the season starts in August
Two extra clubs mean four more matchdays and sixty six more fixtures to fit around continental football, the Stanbic Uganda Cup and international windows. Pulling the start forward to 28 August is the simplest way to buy that time. Ugandan clubs have spent recent seasons finishing the league in June with fixture pile ups in the closing weeks, and an August start is a direct answer to that.
The opener itself is a hard draw for the visitors. Vipers start at home in Kitende, on a Friday night, at a ground where they lose little. Entebbe UPPC have to go there first, before a single point has been banked anywhere else in the league.
Ten grounds for eighteen clubs
The first round is spread across ten approved venues. Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo carries the heaviest load, hosting URA, Express, UPDF and Entebbe UPPC. KCCA and NEC share MTN Omondi Stadium at Lugogo, SC Villa and Maroons share Muteesa II at Wankulukuku, Blacks Power and Kitara share Hoima City Stadium, Police and Ntugasaze share the Kira Police Arena at Kamwokya, and Mbarara City and Kigezi HomeBoyz share Rwamwanja Stadium in Kamwenge. Vipers keep St Mary’s in Kitende, BUL the FUFA Technical Centre at Njeru, Lugazi their ground at Najjembe and Kataka the Bukedea Comprehensive Sports Complex.
The expansion is the part worth watching over the season rather than the weekend. Eighteen clubs stretches a league that has struggled with stadium standards and club finances at sixteen, and the licensing round that delayed these fixtures is the visible edge of that. AXN Sports will publish the opening weekend results once they are official, and will follow the licensing conditions attached to individual clubs as the season runs.
Where to bet: Uganda Premier League markets are priced in shillings by Fortebet and Betway, both licensed by the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, on match result, both teams to score, total goals and first scorer, with deposits through MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money. Local league prices move more between books than the European fixtures do, especially in the opening rounds when squads have changed and there is little form to price off, so compare before you stake. Our guide to the best betting sites in Uganda covers licensing and withdrawal times, and there is more in Uganda soccer news from AXN Sports. You must be 25 or older to bet in Uganda, where the Lotteries and Gaming Act sets the minimum age at 25 rather than 18. 25+. Gamble responsibly.
