- Event: 1st Football governance and business summit
- Dates: 3rd to 4th September 2026
- Focus areas: Players’ contracts, Club’s legal structures, intermediaries, Safeguarding
- Venue: Bamus Sarovar Portico Hotel – Kampala
The first ever football governance and business summit (3rd to 4th September 2026) at Bamus Sarovar Portico Hotel, Kampala is anticipated to yield fruits for the entire football eco-system.
Pauline Mbanza, the convener of this historic summit envisages a professional approach for the beautiful game where all stakeholders ought to embrace this approach from the same wavelength.
“More young people are choosing football as a career, more clubs are becoming professional, and the business of football continues to grow.” Mbanza spoke during the press launch at the lavish Bamus Sarovar Portico Hotel.
“However, while football has developed tremendously on the pitch, we must honestly acknowledge that many of the conversations that determine its future happen beyond the ninety minutes of play.” The sports lawyer added.
She was flanked by other sports lawyers, Uganda Premier League officials and FIFA agent Fidel Otafire.
Every year we witness remarkable talent emerging from our communities, academies and clubs.Questions of governance, player welfare, safeguarding, contractual rights, dispute resolution, regulatory compliance, career management and the business of football remain areas where significant knowledge and capacity gaps still exist. Too many players sign contracts without fully understanding their rights. Clubs often lack adequate legal and regulatory guidance. Football agents continue to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory framework. Parents are uncertain about what standards to look for when choosing academies for their children. At the same time, the rapid growth of women’s football demands stronger safeguarding systems and greater awareness of the unique rights and protections applicable to women in the game. These challenges are not a criticism of our football. They are evidence that our game is growing, and with that growth comes a responsibility to strengthen the structures that support it. It is from this reality that the Football Governance & Business Summit 2026 was born.
Pauline Mbanza, award‑winning International Sports Lawyer and passionate debater with a strong background in Sports Law, Intellectual Property, and Contracts.
Timothy Kajja, a renowned sports lawyer acknowledges that such positive conversations at the football and business summit will propel the game in the desired direction.
Targets:
This football governance and business summit will be dwelled upon the key aspects of increasing legal awareness of player rights, contracts and legal protections across Uganda’s football community; regional capacity for sports lawyers, intermediaries (agents) and club administrators, promotion of child safe-guarding, advance women participation and rights in the football eco-system, educate football stakeholders on the available dispute resolution mechanisms as FUFA, Dispute Resolution Commissions, Court of Arbitration For Sport (CAS) and FIFA Tribunals.
This congress will also help to promote compliance with FIFA’s football agent regulations among Ugandan and regional agents.
Packages available:
Academy delegation, tailored for specialized academies will pay Ug.Shs 300,000.
Club executive package (structured for senior leadership without direct player attachment structures) will pay Ug.Shs 500,000 whilst club executive (with players shall pay) Ug.Shs 350,000.
Speakers:
There will be several key note speakers ranging from FIFA regulators, intermediaries to winning sports lawyers as well as other practitioners defining how football governance works in Africa.
Among these include John Ohaga (international arbitrator), Khayran Noor (sports lawyer), Caroline Mwanzia (FIFA agent, sports and entertainment advocate), Swagath Chanila Ramachandra (international sports lawyer), Pius Ndubuokwu (lawyer), Mohammed Mitwally (international sports lawyer), Peter Mshikilwa (sports lawyer), Brenda Patience Kyomugisha Kyomuhendo (safe guarding officer in football academies), Sarah Solemale (Arbitrator), Abdelrahman Hashish (international sports lawyer and arbitrator), Catherine Constance Adipo (Ex-FIFA Referee), Dr Mariam Mell’Osiime Mpaata (sports administrator), Ebelechukwu “Eby” Emenike (sports administrator), Sultan Atubo (FIFA Agent), Timothy Kajja (Sports Lawyer); among others.
The key stakeholders involved include Royal Sports, Uganda Premier League (UPL), Quinn Law Chambers, IFFA, FIFPRO and other partners.
