The Uganda Rugby Union (URU), with its partners Nile Special and Rock Boom, have officially launched the 2026 season.
This year’s campaign is dubbed Greatness At Play, under the theme 16th Man. The aim is to keep the players motivated while having the fans as involved as possible. The season shall open on the 7th of February with the 15s league kicking off the action till June.
Speaking at the launch, Nile Breweries’ Wangechi Gitahi was elated for the season ahead and further expounded on the campaign.
“We are saying that in 2026, Nile Special is coming to you bigger and better. We are all about the players, supporting them to achieve their dreams, supporting them to celebrate Uganda, and to fight on the pitch,” Gitahi remarked.
On the fans’ engagement, Gitahi was happy to remind the 16th Man that they are a vital part of the rugby ecosystem.
“We are also celebrating the fans who come and support. They bring their energy, they bring life to the game. Even as they enjoy the gold liquid that is Nile Special, we as Nile, we are going to be celebrating that 16th Man,” she noted.
URU president Godwin Kayangwe confirmed that the new sponsorship with Nile Special shall run for 5 years, with the first year receiving a package of up to 1,342,000,000 Uganda Shillings. The previous 5-year deal had expire and Kayangwe was happy to keep Nile Breweries on board.
“It’s not been easy to maintain them [Nile Special] and negotiating a renewal into the next 5 years, it takes a really big leap to convince partners that you are the right person to continue with. So we are very happy with that development,” Kayangwe noted.
Uganda Rugby’s partnership with Harris International under the Rock Boom brand shall continue into 2026, with the 3-year 1,000,000,000 Uganda deal still running. Harris International pledged to be a hydration partner for the remainder of their sponsorship period. They bring on board Rock Boom energy drink and Krystal Natural Mineral Water.