Africa-Press – Uganda. Just when local football fanatics were beginning to appreciate the Fufa Drum concept, it went into a forced lull. Fufa have revived the project with the same ‘celebrating our ancestry theme’ and hope that football can be used to partly heal the wounds inflicted by the Covid19 pandemic.
“It is exciting that this edition is one of the flagship competitions.Football speaks a passion language. It is an opportunity for all of us to be ready to go back home, the identities of our stars will be known, and the fans will know the players’ ancestry,” Fufa president Moses Magogo revealed at the relaunch on Wednesday at Fufa House. The all-encompassing province based tourney that was birthed in 2018 is geared towards taking league stars to the fans in rual areas and Magogo says it had brewed tangible benefits before the hiatus.
“Vipers got a possibility of building a fan base in Bugisu when then goalkeeper Ismail Watenga and and current winger Milton Karisa played for the province team. The third edition is going to be live on TV and will definitely help us to increase its visibilitywith people in the diaspora watching their respective provinces in action,” Magogo added.
According to Nile Breweries Connections Manager John Paul Ssemakula, this is a way of tapping into sports tourism. “The Fufa Drum tourney is one of the passion points of football and unites Ugandans. We look forward to an exciting moment with the fans and I guess the Nile Breweries drinks will help them celebrate at football matches. We hope more national team stars can emerge from the tournament,” Ssemakula said. Buganda province won the inaugural tourney in 2018 while Acholi Province won the subsequent title.
Shortened version
The organisers have shelved the groups format to take on a knockout criteria that will start with round of 16 that played on home and away basis.
The winners on aggregate will advance to the quarterfinals which also accommodate a home and away basis. The quarterfinal winners shall then be pooled in one group and play at a central venue in a round robin format. The top two after the round robin format will progress and play the final while the bottom two will compete for bronze in the third place playoff.
FUFA DRUM 2022 FIXtures
Opening Round – July 30
Busoga vs. Acholi
Bukedi vs. Kampala
Lango vs. Ankole
Bugisu vs. Sebei
Bunyoro vs. Acholi
West Nile vs. Karamoja
Kigezi vs. Buganda
Tooro vs. Rwenzori
*(To be played on home & away basis)
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