Effectiveness of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) in the administration of football in Uganda

Abstract

The study sought to assess the effectiveness of FUFA as an organization mandated with the administration of football in Uganda. The objective of the study was to assess FUFA’s effectiveness in terms of governance and administration, technical development, marketing and communication as well as football infrastructure. The study also sought to find out some of the challenges faced by FUFA and football in Uganda in general and to suggest some strategies to the same. The study was carried out in Kampala district in Uganda. The study population included FUFA staff (secretariat) and Exco, clubs and member associations as well as sports journalists. The study adopted a qualitative approach to offer an in-depth assessment of the topic as opposed to simple numeric data. From the population, 21 respondents were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed on the topic of study. At this point, the study reached saturation as no new data could be realized. Data was collected through interview notes and recordings. The findings reveal that FUFA has expertise in their governance and administrative set ups as evidenced by their rich experience in football administration. However, respondents challenge the composition of the FUFA structure based majorly on regional representation as opposed to consummate contribution to the football game. The study notes mixed feelings on FUFA’s performance in the technical development of the game. While most national teams have bettered their results on the pitch, the standards of local competitions leave a lot to be desired. In addition, youth and women football, which have registered notable feats in the recent past, are still run ad-hoc without recognizable strategies. On marketing and communication, the study notes that revenue growth and developments in marketing and communication strategies are interdependent. The study further reveals that while revenues have increased in the last decade, it’s majorly at FUFA and not in football at large. From the study, it is eminent that the quality and quantity of football facilities and equipment is appalling, but it is equally noted that FUFA has work in progress in this regard like the Kadiba facility and Lugazi Stadium. Some of the challenges identified included financial constraints, the state of football infrastructure as well as football development including youth, women and local leagues. It’s recommended that FUFA seeks to increase funding into the game in general, undertake strategic planning, emancipate local leagues and curb malpractices. Such would not only enhance FUFA’s effectiveness in football administration but also improve the game of football. While FUFA has come a long way in the last decade, complacency is not an option as there are still acres to cover if other federations are anything to be compared to.