By Our Reporter

For the fourth consecutive year, Airtel Uganda has once again joined the Buganda Kingdom to launch the Masaza Cup tournament at a press conference held at the Buganda Kingdom offices in Bulange Mengo.

In attendance at the launch were Airtel Uganda officials were led by Head of Brand and Communications Ms. Remmie Kisakye and Buganda Kingdom officials led by First Deputy Prime Minister Owek. Twaha Kawaase, Minister for Youth, Leisure and Sports in the Kingdom Owek. Henry Ssekabembe and other sponsors.

The Masaza Cup is an annual Buganda Kingdom tournament that has been played since 2004. It usually features 19 teams from 19 different Buganda Kingdom regions.

Speaking during the launch, Ms. Kisakye confirmed that Airtel Uganda will support the prestigious tournament with shs400 million this year.

“We have spent three years as the title sponsors of the competition and every year we support the competition with shs400 million. This competition has been a birth place for many stars on the national team,” she noted.

Owek. Kawaase called upon everyone in the respective counties to give support to their teams so as we have a successful football competition.

“I would like to confirm that his Majesty the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II will preside over the opening game between Ssingo and Ssese on 1st June at Mityana Ssaza grounds,” he added.

By Our Reporter

The Nile Special amateur football tournament in which bars across the country faced off in a 5-Aside arrangement climaxed on Saturday with Soroti’s Team Facebook emerging champions.

Team Facebook triumphed over Tavern Kick with a 2-0 victory to win the inaugural tournament.

This followed a display of entertaining football as the 16 teams which had made it through the regionals to the nationals took on each other.

Team Facebook received a cash prize of Ugx 2 million and will also represent Uganda at the Africa 5-Aside tournament in Tanzania where the overall winning team will earn an all expense paid European tour in the company of Cameroonian football legend Samuel E’to.

Away from the football, revelers also enjoyed performances from musicians Vinka and John Blaq as they day’s fun came to an end.

By Our Reporter

Manchester United coaches, Mike Neary and Chris O’Brien are in Kampala for a two-day training with 128 students from Excel Soccer Academy through an ongoing partnership between the soccer club and Kansai Plascon.

“Leading up to today, we received many applications for our students to take part in this training, but have had to keep it at 128. Our hope is that in the future through such partnerships with Kansai Plascon and other companies, we can expose more of our over 1000 students to trainings of this caliber,” said Patrick Gyawambadde, a Director at Excel Soccer Academy.

The soccer academy which was started in 2011 focuses on using soccer as an environment in which many young boys and girls are taught values that include respect, teamwork and ambition.

“Because sports development is one of our strategic focal points, through soccer academies like this, children are taught to be goal oriented and to focus in everything they do. It is also most likely that children who play sports will not partake in crime. We would like to see these children and many others grow into responsible contributors to the Ugandan society. Soccer academies like this one are Kansai Plascon’s way of investing in the future of Uganda,” said Lungi Koni, the Regional Manager Special Projects, Kansai Plascon.

Mike Neary and Chris O’Brien emphasised that having 128 students will ensure that each child they work with gets their full attention. “With a smaller group, we are able to concentrate on them, engage with them one on one, and make sure that they leave after two days with lifelong soccer skills,” said Mike Neary.

Neary and O’Brien follow a visit from Quinton Fortune a Manchester United Legend who was in Kampala last week to engage with Kansai Plascon winners who had taken part in a radio and digital soccer based competition to win signed jerseys from Manchester United.