The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has confirmed that the Player of the Match award in the opening round of the 2025/26 StarTimes Uganda Premier League (UPL) will carry a cash prize of Shs100,000.
The announcement was made on Thursday alongside news of a new partnership with World Planet Communications Ltd, which will be responsible for making direct payments of both Man of the Match prizes and locker room bonuses.
FUFA says the arrangement is designed to motivate players and raise the level of competition.
According to the new structure, winners of the Man of the Match award will walk away with Shs100,000 in round one, Shs200,000 in round two and Shs500,000 in round three.
FUFA has allocated Shs74 million to cover these payments.
For the locker room bonuses, each player will be entitled to Shs80,000 in the second round and Shs150,000 in the third, at a total cost of Shs444 million.
World Planet Communications will process payments within 24 hours of a match ending.
Clubs have been instructed to submit MTN Mobile Money numbers for all licensed players and officials in order to access the scheme.
FUFA’s third Vice President, Hon. Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, said: “This partnership and the bonus structure are part of FUFA’s broader efforts to professionalise Ugandan football.”
World Planet Communications CEO, Dr David Nsiyona, noted: “On behalf of World Planet Communications, I as the Director, Dr David Nsiona, I take this opportunity to let our viewers, our listeners, get to know about the contractual obligation that has been entered between World Planet Communications and FUFA,"
He added, "We distribute as of MTN and essentially we have entered into an agreement and an understanding with FUFA so that we may use the technology available for us to be able to pay the man of the match and the local room bonuses to the various teams as shall be instructed by FUFA.”
The fresh bonus system coincides with the rollout of a controversial new league format for the UPL.
From the 2025/26 campaign, the competition will adopt a three-round, 16-team system.
Round one will be a single-leg league to determine initial rankings. The top eight teams will then form Group 1 and the bottom eight Group 2 for round two, which will be played home and away.
In round three, Group 1’s best six sides will advance into Group 3 for a one-leg title contest, while Group 2’s lowest six will form Group 4 for a one-leg relegation fight.
The winner of Group 3 will be crowned champions, and the bottom club in Group 4 will drop to the second tier.
But the reforms have sparked strong opposition from several clubs including Vipers SC and SC Villa, who disagree with Circular No. 1202, which sets out changes to the league structure, revenue distribution and player registration rules.
In the petition dated August 23, 2025, the clubs warned that the reforms could “destabilize the sporting, financial, and legal foundations of Ugandan football.”
They argue the phased system unfairly resets points, which “undermines sporting integrity” by diminishing the importance of round one results.
Clubs also fear it will disrupt sponsorship deals and turn away fans, describing the plan as “unjust, irrational, and unsustainable.”
However, FUFA has defended the new approach, insisting it will enhance professionalism, attract more attention to the league, and make Ugandan football more competitive regionally and internationally.
