Overview:
Compounding the controversy are reports that UPDF FC officials were completely left out of the disciplinary committee's investigative hearings before the final verdict was handed down.
UPDF Football Club has officially confirmed its decision to appeal the FUFA Disciplinary Panel’s ruling regarding their abandoned StarTimes Uganda Premier League clash against KCCA FC.
The high-stakes fixture, played at the MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo, was brought to an abrupt halt just eight minutes into the game following a sudden failure of the stadium’s floodlights. Despite a mandatory 30-minute wait by match officials, the lights could not be restored, forcing the referees to call off the match.
In a ruling issued on Thursday, 29th October 2026, the FUFA Judicial Committee ordered that the match be rescheduled as a continuation-of-play fixture, resuming exactly from the 8th minute. Additionally, KCCA FC was ordered to reimburse UPDF FC for match-related expenses, fined UGX 1,000,000, and stripped of its approval to host subsequent night games at Lugogo.
However, the army side has fiercely rejected the decision to resume the match, citing a lack of consultation during the investigation process.
UPDF FC Official Statement
In an official club statement released on Friday, UPDF FC made their legal intentions clear:
“UPDF FC has noted the ruling of the FUFA Disciplinary Panel, issued on 29th October 2026, regarding the StarTimes Uganda Premier League fixture against KCCA FC at MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo… The match was abandoned in the 8th minute following a floodlight failure at the venue. After careful review, the Club respectfully disagrees with the decision to reschedule the fixture as a continuation-of-play match therefore the Club has instructed its legal team to pursue the matter through the appeal channels provided under FUFA regulations.”
“UPDF FC remains committed to the rules and spirit of the game and will make no further comment while the process is ongoing. We thank our players, fans, and stakeholders for their patience and support.”
Contradictions and Backstory
The disciplinary ruling followed public remarks by KCCA FC Chairman, Engineer Andrew Mukiibi Sserunjogi, who openly pleaded for leniency from the football governing body. Sserunjogi claimed the stadium’s backup generator suffered a mechanical failure with its water pump—an issue he categorized as an unavoidable “natural cause.”
Compounding the controversy are reports that UPDF FC officials were completely left out of the disciplinary committee’s investigative hearings before the final verdict was handed down.
Efforts by Kawowo Sports to access the full written text of the committee’s ruling were unsuccessful, as calls to the committee’s secretariat went unanswered.
With the appeal now officially set in motion, Ugandan football enthusiasts await the next verdict from the FUFA Appeals Committee.
