Patrice Motsepe, the President of CAF, has consistently emphasized the significance of developing and advancing women’s football in Africa as the organization’s “primary focus.”
He is confident that substantial progress has been achieved in this area, over the past two years.
Uganda’s KCCA Football Club has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Kampala Queens FC for the next three years, marking an important step forward for women’s football in Uganda.
The collaboration comes as a response to the directive from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which mandates that only teams with female sides will be eligible to compete in continental championships such as the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Set to commence on July 1, 2023, the partnership will see KCCA FC assume responsibility as the sole men’s team for Kampala Queens FC, and vice versa.
According to the club website -KCCA- this agreement encompasses all official engagements, including those sanctioned by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), CAF, and FIFA.
The announcement also revealed that one of the key benefits of this collaboration is the mutual exchange of technical expertise.
KCCA FC has committed to providing technical and knowledge support to Kampala Queens FC’s coaching staff, contributing to their overall growth and development.
Both teams will however continue to operate under their respective brand identities, maintaining the rich legacy associated with each club.
KCCA, the second-place finisher in the domestic league, earned the opportunity to represent Uganda in the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup as a wild card entry.
This opportunity came about when Vipers SC, who had qualified for both the Champions League and Confederation Cup, had to forfeit their secondary Cup spot to KCCA.
Notably, KCCA recently appointed Sérgio Daniel Moniz Traguil, a Portuguese national, as the manager of their men’s senior team, bringing in valuable international expertise to guide their future endeavors.
On the other hand Kampala Queens FC is in the process of finalizing the selection of their head coach after parting ways with Hamza Lutalo but recently, former Uganda Cranes midfielder Tonny Mawejje was announced as their assistant coach on a one-year contract.
The Queens are current title holders of the women’s domestic league (2022/23), the only silverware on their rack since their establishment in 2016.
So with this collaboration, they aim to build upon their recent success and solidify their status as a dominant force in women’s football.
While KCCA FC and Kampala Queens FC have taken proactive steps in response to CAF’s directive, attention has now shifted to Vipers SC, who are yet to announce the formation of a female side.
Rumors suggest that they may be linked to Kawempe SS, but official confirmation is awaited.
