The new football season 2019/20 will get underway this month with the return of the Pilsner Super 8 Football tournament due July 24-August 24.
The tournament started last year is precursor prior to the start of the Uganda Premier League scheduled to kick off on August 31.
The top 6 Premier League clubs and the top two FUFA Big League clubs from last season will battle for the first trophy of the season with a new competition format introduced –which will see teams play 3 games each and get ranked from the first to eighth at the end of the tournament.
Prize money has also been more than doubled from Shs30m last season to Shs68m this season awarded according to the team’s final positioning at the end of the tournament.
The winners have Shs20m at stake while the runners up have Shs12m. The third placed side will take Shs10m as the fourth gets Shs8m. The fifth to eighth ranked teams will get Shs6m, Shs5m, Shs4m and Shs3m respectively.
FUFA Marketing Committee Chairman Rogers Byamukama thanked Pilsner Lager for their growing involvement in football during the launch of the tournament on Monday at Uganda breweries limited, Luzira.
“Uganda’s success at the 2019 Afcon is partly due to support such tournaments’ support. The more tournaments we have, the more players improve and the more prize money that we have, the more competitive the game becomes. I thank Pilsner Lager for continuing their sponsorship of the Pilsner Super 8 and look forward to an exciting kick-off to our local football season,” Byamukama told the media.
Uganda Breweries Head of Beer Estella Muzito said that the sponsorship is one of the ways that Pilsner Lager provides its consumers with an exciting experience in line with its own revitalized look and feel.
“Football as we all know is Uganda’s biggest sport and Uganda Breweries is proud to be a part of the growth of local football through this sponsorship. Pilsner Lager already sponsors the Player and Coach Awards in the Uganda Premier League and through this Pilsner Super 8, we are continuing our support of the game,” Muzito said, adding that: “The Pilsner Super 8 kicks off the football season. We look forward to an exciting and competitive tournament that will enable clubs test each other as they prepare for local and continental action.” The eight teams in the tournament are; Wakiso Giants, KCCA, Onduparaka, Tooro United, Mbarara City, URA, Proline and Vipers SC. The dates will be released by FUFA in the due course however, the bottom ranked team hosts in the first round of the tournament while in the second round (semi-finals), the higher ranked team hosts. Where both teams in the second round were visitors/hosts, a draw will be conducted to determine the host team. KCCA FC won the inaugural tournament last year after beating Onduparaka 2-0 on the final at the Betway Muteesa II stadium, Wankulukuku with goals from Sadam Juma and Allan Okello.
Opening fixtures:
Wakiso Giants vs KCCA FC
Onduparaka vs Tooro United FC
Mbarara City vs URA FC
Proline vs Vipers SC
