LUZIRA – The Pilsner Super 8 is back!
This time round, it has seen a change in format where each team is assured of playing three games.
The 2019 edition was launched on Monday, 15th July-2019, at Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) head offices in Luzira, the same day the draws for the first round were conducted.
The tournament will run from the 24th of July to August 24th, featuring 8 StarTimes Uganda Premier League (SUPL) teams.
The teams that will take part include the top six from the 2018/19 SUPL season and two newly promoted sides.
Wakiso Giants, one of the two teams that were promoted from the FUFA Big League, has been drawn to take on reigning SUPL champions KCCA FC in the first round.
The other newly promoted side, Proline FC, will take on Vipers SC, Onduparaka faces Tooro United while Mbarara City locks horns with URA FC.
The tournament format
The winners of the four first-round games will go on to face off in the semifinals of this year’s edition with the victors in the respective semis, going on to play the final.
Likewise, for the losers in the first round, the will face off in the semis before the respective victors lock horns in the placement final.
At the end of the tournament, the teams will be ranked from 1-8.
The prize money
It was revealed on Monday that the Pilsner Super 8 prize money has been more than doubled from UGX 30m to UGX 68m.
The 68m will be shared by the respective teams as per their final positions with the winner walking away with UGX 20m, runners ups UGX 12m, third place UGX 10m and the fourth UGX 8m. The fifth to eighth-ranked teams will get UGX 6m, UGX 5m, UGX 4m and UGX 3m, respectively.
Speaking at the launch, FUFA Marketing Committee Chairman, Rogers Byamukama had this to say;
“Uganda has just returned from a successful Africa Cup of Nations tournament where the team progressed to the knockout stage for the first time since 1978. Noted Byamukama.
“This improvement is partly due to the support such as this for tournaments like this.
“The more tournaments we have, the more the players improve and the more prize money, the more competitive the game is.
“I thank Pilsner Lager for continuing their sponsorship of the Pilsner Super 8 and look forward to an exciting Kick-off to our local football season.”
For UBL head of Beer, Estella Muzito, the sponsorship is one of the ways that Pilsner Lager is engaging its consumers by providing them with an exciting experience in line with its own revitalized look and feel.
“Football as we all know is Uganda’s biggest sport and Uganda Breweries is proud to be part of the growth of it locally through sponsorship. Said Muzito.
“Pilsner Lager already sponsors the Player and Coach Awards in the Uganda Super League and through this Super 8, we are continuing our support of the game.
“The Pilsner Super 8 kicks off the football season and we look forward to an exciting and competitive tournament that will enable clubs test each other as they prepare for local and continental action.”
KCCA FC are the defending champions of the Pilsner Super 8. They defeated Onduparaka 2-0 in last year’s final that was played at Mutessa II stadium in Wankulukuku.
The FUFA Super 8 first round fixtures
-Wakiso Giants FC vs KCCA FC
-Proline FC vs Vipers SC
-Onduparaka Fc vs Tooro United
-Mbarara City vs URA FC
