MTN/FUFA Inter-Regions Football Tourney
July 7-12 (Hoima District)
When the FUFA executive passed a resolution to revive the annual inter-regions football tournament in May 2009, the news was greeted with a warm applause from many a football faithful. The Inter-regions tournament had last taken place in 1989, and surely there was a vacuum, especially for those who had watched it before. It was then one tournament that every footballer wished to take part of.
“Inter-regions would draw masses on the grounds, and players were inspired to put up their best”, reveals, Paul Ssali, a veteran goal keeper, who was part of Uganda’s 1978 squad that qualified for the African Nations Cup.
Since 2009, the tournament has continued to grow in statue given the blessing of Telecommunications giants, MTN, who have been sponsoring the event since its revival. This year round, the MTN FUFA inter region football tournament is set to take center stage July 7-12 in Hoima District.
“We expect a more competitive tournament this year because teams are training hard and the event has also grown in stature,” says Decloas Kiiza, the secretary of the competitions committee of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa).
MTN Uganda marketing officer, Ernst Fonternel believes the tournament will help in the planning process for the development of the Nation Senior football team, the Cranes, which is exclusively sponsored by the telecom company. “The tournament is being used also to help the technical people at the FA to tap talent from around the different regions”, he tells Kawowo sports. Players who feature for teams in the top Tier Premier League and the second level Big League are not allowed to showcase their talent in this event.
There are 8 in the week long tournament to include; Buganda, North East, Mid North, Kampala,East, West, Kitara and West Nile. Kiiza said the semi finals will be played on July 11th, while the finals and play-off for third place take place the next day.
“We call upon all the regions to prepare their teams well enough so that we have a good tournament with lots of action,” said Kiiza.
The Inter-regions has produced remarkable players as Paul Musana, Herman Wasswa, Hussein Mulawa, Simon Namwanja, Bonny Baiagana, Kenneth Tumusiime, Turyahabwe Deus, Mugerwa Yassar, Fred Omony, Sam Kisense and a couple more others.
Opening Fixture (7th July 2013):
West Vs East