Matchweek 27
Wednesday, May 6
- Calvary FC vs Police – Midigo
- Lugazi vs Mbarara City – Najjembe
Thursday, May 7
- Entebbe UPPC vs UPDF – Bombo
- KCCA vs Maroons – Lugogo
Friday, May 8
- SC Villa vs BUL – Wankulukuku
- Buhimba vs Express – Butema
- Vipers vs URA – Kitende
Saturday, May 9
- Kitara vs NEC – Butema
The Uganda Premier League returns with Matchweek 27 following a brief Uganda Cup semifinal break.
As usual, eight matches are on the schedule, and they could go a long way in shaping the season at both the top and bottom of the 16-team table.
Vipers can take a major step toward defending their title, while one of the bottom sides could be relegated with three games to spare.
The golden boot race also remains tight, and there are several milestones—good and bad—that could be reached by the end of the matchweek.
Here are five key things to watch:
Calvary facing relegation
Calvary FC could become the first team relegated from the Uganda Premier League this season as early as Matchweek 27.
The newcomers sit bottom of the 16-team table with 13 points after 26 matches.
If Calvary lose to Police in Midigo, and both Mbarara City (20 points) and UPDF (21 points) win their respective matches, relegation will be confirmed.
That scenario would leave Calvary with a maximum possible total of 22 points, which would not be enough to move out of the bottom two.
Despite their struggles, Calvary have shown some fight, picking up their only two wins of the season in the last five matches against Buhimba United Saints and KCCA.
NEC chasing 10th straight clean sheet
NEC FC travel to Kitara FC on Saturday aiming for a remarkable 10th consecutive clean sheet in the league.
The last time they conceded was in a 1-1 draw against Vipers at Kitende on February 17, when Milton Karisa scored early before Warren Buule equalised late.
During this run, NEC have recorded seven wins and two goalless draws.
They had earlier managed six clean sheets, bringing their total to 15 in 26 league matches this season.
However, Kitara pose a serious test. The reverse fixture ended 3-3 at Lugogo, and notably, Kitara have failed to score at home only once this season—against bottom-placed Calvary in a goalless draw on April 22.
Vipers can move within 2 points of title triumph
Defending champions Vipers lead the table with 59 points as they host URA on Friday at Kitende.
If KCCA fail to beat Maroons on Thursday, a Vipers win would take them to 62 points, opening up an eight-point lead with three games remaining.
Should Kitara also lose to NEC, Vipers would then need just two points from their final three matches to seal the title.
The Venoms, still unbeaten on the pitch this season, defeated URA 3-0 in the first round.
Golden boot race still open
The race for the league’s top scorer award remains highly competitive—arguably tighter than both the title and relegation battles.
KCCA striker Ivan Ahimbisibwe leads the chart with 12 goals.
Ambrose Kigozi (Entebbe UPPC) follows with 11, while Frank Ssebuufu (SC Villa) and Patrick Kaddu (Kitara) are on nine goals each.
Usama Arafat (Vipers) and Bedia Djuma Ikamba (Police) are close behind on eight.
However, it appears unlikely that any of them will surpass the 19 goals scored by Allan Okello last season.
The 20-goal mark also looks out of reach, with Geoffrey Sserunkuma the last player to hit that milestone in the 2016/17 season with KCCA.
Buhimba risk 10th straight defeat
Buhimba United Saints host Express FC on Friday at Royals Park in Butema desperate to end a dismal run.
The Saints have lost nine consecutive league matches, and another defeat would make it 10 in a row.
Their last positive result came on February 17 in a controversial draw against Police, where substitute Eric Nyonyintono scored a late equaliser after coming on in a different kit.
Since then, Buhimba have lost to KCCA, Maroons, BUL, Kitara, Calvary, UPPC, Vipers, SC Villa, and Lugazi, scoring just once in that stretch.
Express won the reverse fixture 3-1 at Nakivubo, with goals from Mikidad Ssenyonga, John Assiimwe, and Henry Wamala, while Edson Agondeze scored for Buhimba before later joining Kitara.
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