Kawempe Muslim’s Title Defence Begins with Jinja United Test | Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Super League

Defending champions Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC begin the long journey towards retaining their Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Super League crown today when they welcome newly promoted Jinja United WFC for the opening fixture of the 2026/27 campaign at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende. The 3:00pm encounter brings together two teams arriving at the new season from contrasting backgrounds, with Kawempe Muslim carrying the expectations that come with being champions and Jinja United stepping into Uganda’s top flight for the first time after earning promotion from the Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Elite League.

For Kawempe Muslim, the opening fixture represents the first opportunity to translate the achievements of a remarkable previous campaign into a fresh title challenge. The champions finished last season with the league trophy in their hands before adding the CECAFA Women’s Champions League zonal crown to their collection, a sequence of successes that has raised expectations around the club ahead of another demanding season. Jinja United, meanwhile, arrive with the excitement of a newly promoted side eager to establish themselves among the country’s leading women’s football clubs and prove that their elevation to the top flight is the beginning of a sustained journey.

The encounter will also introduce a significant change for the defending champions, who will begin their campaign in a new home. After previously hosting their matches at the Kawempe Muslim Secondary School playground, popularly known as The Valley, Kawempe Muslim have shifted their home fixtures to St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende for the 2026/27 season. The venue, which is also home to their men’s football club partner Vipers SC, provides a new setting for the champions as they attempt to combine the familiarity of a settled squad with the demands of a different home environment.

The move comes at a particularly important stage in the club’s development, because Kawempe Muslim are no longer competing solely for domestic recognition. Their remarkable progress over the past season has placed them at the centre of Uganda’s women’s football ambitions, with the club preparing to defend its domestic crown while also carrying the distinction of becoming the first Ugandan club to qualify for the CAF Women’s Champions League finals. The new campaign therefore begins with both domestic expectations and continental significance attached to every step the champions take.

Kawempe Muslim earned the right to defend their title after producing one of the most dramatic finishes to the 2025/26 Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Super League season. The championship race remained undecided until the final day, with Kawempe Muslim and She Corporate FC separated by only one point and both teams knowing that any slip could determine the destination of the trophy. The decisive fixtures were played simultaneously at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru and the Kawempe Muslim Secondary School Ground, creating a final-day scenario in which every goal and every point carried enormous significance.

She Corporate FC went into the final day knowing that victory against She Maroons FC would secure the championship, but their hopes were frustrated by a goalless draw at the FUFA Technical Centre. Across the country, Kawempe Muslim responded to the pressure with a commanding performance against Olila High School WFC, securing a 3-1 victory and turning the final-day drama in their favour. Jovia Nakagolo, Agnes Nabukenya and Latifah Nakasi supplied the goals that delivered the decisive three points, while Mary Lotyang scored Olila High School’s consolation goal.

The result lifted Kawempe Muslim to 52 points at the summit, one point clear of She Corporate, who finished on 51. In doing so, Kawempe Muslim secured the sixth league championship in the club’s history and their second since the competition adopted the FUFA Women Super League name in 2019. It was a title that reflected not only their consistency throughout the campaign but also their ability to withstand the pressure of a championship race that remained alive until the final whistle of the season.

The celebrations of that domestic triumph were soon followed by another demanding assignment when Kawempe Muslim turned their attention to the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers. Representing Uganda at the regional competition, the champions navigated their way through the tournament and eventually reached a final against Kenya Police Bullets, where the stakes were heightened by the prize of qualification for the continental finals.

The championship decider proved to be a test of patience and resilience, with neither side able to find a breakthrough during the opening 90 minutes. As the contest moved into extra time, the possibility of penalties appeared increasingly likely, but Kawempe Muslim eventually found the moment they had been searching for in the 100th minute. Agnes Nabukenya emerged as the decisive figure, scoring the goal that finally broke the deadlock and placed the Ugandan side within reach of regional glory.

Kawempe Muslim successfully protected their advantage for the remainder of the contest to complete a 1-0 victory and lift the CECAFA title. Nabukenya’s extra-time strike consequently became one of the defining moments in the club’s recent history, securing a regional championship while simultaneously opening the door to an unprecedented appearance on the biggest stage in African women’s club football.

The achievement carries historic significance beyond the club itself. By winning the CECAFA zonal championship, Kawempe Muslim became the first Ugandan club to qualify for the CAF Women’s Champions League finals, transforming what began as a domestic title defence into a campaign carrying a much broader national dimension. The club now enters the 2026/27 season with the opportunity to build on that breakthrough while preparing for the demands that come with representing Uganda at continental level.

The champions have responded to those demands by retaining much of the squad that delivered their domestic and regional success. Agnes Nabukenya, Latifah Nakasi, Jovia Nakagolo, Krusmo Namutebi, Babirye Hadijah, Samalie Nakachwa, Asia Nakibuuka and Nakimera Sharifah are among the familiar names remaining within the squad, providing continuity to a team that already understands the standards required to compete for major honours.

Kawempe Muslim have also strengthened the group with new additions, bringing in Cecilia Apiding from Lady Doves FC as part of their preparations for another demanding campaign. The champions have further welcomed back winger Anitah Namata, whose previous experience includes spells with Uganda Martyrs Lubaga WFC, She Corporate FC, Kampala Queens and Kenya’s Vihiga Queens, adding another familiar attacking option to the squad.

The return of midfielder Shakirah Nyinagahirwa following a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury is another significant boost for the champions. Her comeback gives Kawempe Muslim additional depth and provides the technical team with another experienced option as the club attempts to navigate a season that will require consistency across both domestic and continental assignments.

While Kawempe Muslim enter the new campaign with an established record of success, their opponents today have taken a very different route to the top flight. Jinja United WFC earned promotion after an impressive 2025/26 Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Elite League campaign, where their consistency placed them at the top of the Victoria Group and ultimately secured their passage into the Women Super League.

The Jinja-based side confirmed promotion during the penultimate round of the competition with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Highway Ladies in Mbale. That result moved Jinja United to 29 points and gave them an unassailable advantage over second-placed UCU Lady Cardinals, who remained on 25 points with one fixture still to play. The victory not only secured promotion but also confirmed Jinja United as the leading side in the Victoria Group.

Their impressive group campaign earned them a place in the Elite League play-off final against URA Ladies FC, who had topped the Elizabeth Group. Both clubs had already secured promotion to the 2026/27 Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Super League, meaning the play-off final at Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku was primarily about determining the overall Elite League champion.

URA Ladies FC eventually claimed that honour after edging Jinja United 1-0, ending the Jinja side’s hopes of lifting the overall Elite League trophy. Nevertheless, the defeat did little to diminish the significance of their campaign, because Jinja United had already achieved the principal objective of earning promotion and securing a place among Uganda’s top-flight women’s football clubs.

Their reward is a debut fixture against the reigning champions, making the opening assignment as demanding as it is exciting. Jinja United will have to cope with a Kawempe Muslim side that possesses considerable experience of winning major matches, while simultaneously adapting to the increased intensity and expectations that come with top-flight football. For the newcomers, however, the occasion offers an opportunity to make an immediate statement about their ambitions.

The contrast between the two sides makes today’s meeting particularly intriguing. Kawempe Muslim have spent the past year collecting major honours and preparing for their historic continental adventure, while Jinja United have spent the same period fighting their way into the top division and earning the chance to compete against the country’s established clubs. Their meeting at Kitende therefore represents more than the opening fixture of a new season; it is also a meeting between established champions and ambitious newcomers.

For Kawempe Muslim, the immediate objective will be to begin the title defence with a positive result and establish the standards expected of the reigning champions from the opening whistle. Having already experienced the pressure of a close title race, the demands of regional competition and the intensity of a continental qualification campaign, they know that the new season will require the same consistency that carried them to success last term.

Jinja United, on the other hand, will approach the fixture with nothing to lose and plenty to prove. Their promotion has earned them the opportunity to compete at the highest domestic level, but remaining among the elite will require performances against established opponents throughout the season. An opening-day encounter with the champions provides an immediate measure of the challenge ahead while also giving the newcomers an opportunity to announce their arrival on the biggest domestic stage.

The 3:00pm kick-off at St Mary’s Stadium will consequently usher in a new chapter for both clubs. Kawempe Muslim will be seeking to turn the page from last season’s celebrations and begin the difficult business of defending their crown, while Jinja United will be looking to make their first appearance in the Women Super League a memorable one. With the champions carrying momentum from their historic CECAFA triumph and the newcomers arriving with the confidence of promotion, the opening fixture promises a compelling start to the new campaign.

The rest of Match Day One will follow on Sunday, 20 September, with five fixtures scheduled across the country as the other contenders begin their respective campaigns.

URA Ladies FC will host KCCA Women at Hamz Stadium in a 4:00pm encounter, while Makerere University WFC will welcome Amus College WFC at Nsibirwa Play Ground, with both sides also taking to the pitch at 4:00pm.

At Katusabe Dove Play Ground, Lady Doves FC will face Uganda Martyrs High School WFC, while Rines SS WFC will take on She Maroons at Kabaka Kyabaggu. Both matches are scheduled for 4:00pm and will add further intrigue to an opening weekend that promises to provide the first indications of how the leading contenders have prepared for the new campaign.

The weekend programme will also see She Corporate FC begin another title campaign when they host St Noa Girls FC at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru at 4:00pm. Having finished just one point behind Kawempe Muslim last season, She Corporate will enter the new campaign with their own ambitions, adding another layer of interest to what promises to be a competitive opening round.

All eyes, however, will first turn to Kitende, where the champions will officially begin the defence of their crown. Kawempe Muslim Muslim Ladies FC have already written a remarkable chapter in their history through their domestic and regional triumphs, but the new season presents an entirely different challenge. Against them stands a Jinja United side beginning its top-flight journey with ambition, determination and an opportunity to make an immediate impression.

The 2026/27 Finance Trust Bank FUFA Women Super League therefore begins with a meeting that perfectly captures the changing landscape of Ugandan women’s football, champions seeking to preserve their place at the summit and newcomers determined to establish themselves among the elite.

Finance Trust Bank FUFA WSL 2026/2027 Fixtures.

FWSL - MATCH DAY 1 FIXTURE

September 19, 2026 (1) 3 - 0 2026/2027 N/A Kawempe Muslims LFC vs Jinja United WFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 1 2026/2027 N/A She Corporate FC vs St.Noa Girls Zana FC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 3 2026/2027 N/A URA Ladies FC vs KCCA WFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 1 - 0 2026/2027 N/A Makerere University vs Amus College WFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 1 2026/2027 N/A LADY DOVES FC vs Uganda Martyrs LWFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 3 2026/2027 N/A Rines SS WFC vs She Maroons FC