Four Ugandan women football coaches have secured scholarships to pursue the CAF B Coaching Course, an opportunity expected to help address financial barriers limiting women’s advancement in football coaching.
The scholarships were secured by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) under FIFA’s Women’s Football Development Programme Coach Education Scholarships for the 2026 intake.
The beneficiaries Nakiguba Cissy Gaudensia, Nabulobi Mercy, Namugenyi Dorothy and Birungi Sarah are currently undertaking the course at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.
The initiative is part of FUFA’s strategy to increase the number of qualified women coaches and strengthen the pathway for women to progress from grassroots football to elite coaching.
Ronnie Kalema, the FUFA Executive Secretary for Football Development, said the scholarships demonstrate the value of collaboration in developing women’s football.
FIFA created the scholarship and FUFA applied with the candidates. “This approval strengthens Uganda’s pathway for women coaches from grassroots to elite level, so we are grateful for FIFA’s support in capacity building for women and coaching development,” she said.
However, financial constraints continue to limit the number of women able to advance to higher coaching levels.Joan Namusisi, the FUFA Women’s Football Coordinator, says the cost of training remains a major challenge, particularly at CAF B and CAF A levels.“The challenge has always been that these female coaches do not have enough money to facilitate themselves through these courses, especially at CAF B and CAF A levels.”
Uganda currently has three CAF A-qualified women coaches and ten with CAF B qualifications, while more than 30 women hold CAF C qualifications.
Ahmed Hussein, the FUFA Director of Communications, says investing in women coaches could have a wider impact on the development of football in Uganda.
“When FUFA invests in the education of women coaches, they not only improve the technical quality of the game but also create a stronger pathway for girls who want to see football as a career.”
Hussein says the coaches are expected to transfer the knowledge gained to clubs, academies and national teams, widening the impact of the scholarship programme.
For the four beneficiaries, the CAF B qualification could therefore be more than a professional milestone. It could help increase the number of women capable of guiding young players into Uganda’s competitive and professional football system-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
