Ugandan Football Lacks Marketing, Not Love, Analyst Argues

The recent transfer of footballer Allan Okello to Morocco's AS FAR has ignited a crucial debate within Ugandan football, forcing a confrontation with a long-avoided question: how can the sport become valuable enough for Ugandans to consume, support, and invest in? The discussion intensified after a report on August 17, 2026, claimed Okello was sold for Shs4.4 billion, prompting a comment from ASP Rt. Asan Kasingye that "We need to learn how to market our players in Uganda. Football is a multi business venture but, we're on 1% battery power."

FUFA president Moses Magogo echoed sentiments about the need for local support, arguing that Ugandans enthusiastically follow foreign leagues but neglect their own. He posited that increased domestic following generates revenue for clubs, enabling them to build capacity and foster player development. This perspective sparked a day-long debate, with various viewpoints emerging.

While agreeing with parts of these arguments, the author suggests the problem lies not in a lack of affection for the sport, but in its communication and product marketing. The core issue, according to this view, is that people consume what they understand, can access, find exciting, and what consistently offers a reason to engage. The author contrasts this with the English Premier League's proactive brand management, which builds anticipation and occupies fans' minds long before the season begins through constant communication about fixtures, rivalries, and storylines.

Ugandan football, the article argues, cannot match the Premier League financially but can adopt its philosophy of communicating with conviction in the product's value. Simple match posters or fixture announcements are insufficient; a comprehensive digital brand strategy is needed. The author criticizes the expectation that consumers will spontaneously develop brand loyalty when local clubs offer minimal engagement compared to European counterparts, which provide fixture reminders, player interviews, and behind-the-scenes content. Tanzania's clubs, Young Africans and Simba, are cited as examples of successful supporter culture building.

“

We need to learn how to market our players in Uganda. Football is a multi business venture but, we're on 1% battery power.