USSSA Shakes Up School Sports With New Age Categories and Transfer Fees

By Kayiira Jackson 
The Uganda Secondary School Sports Association (USSSA) has unveiled sweeping reforms to secondary school sports, including new age categories, transfer regulations with financial costs, and the rollout of weekend leagues, as it begins implementing the National Sports Act of 2023.
The changes were announced on Wednesday during a press briefing at the USSSA head offices at GNS Plaza in Kampala, addressed by the Association’s president, Justus Mugisha.
Under the new structure, USSSA has replaced the Under-16 category with Under-17 and scrapped Under-14 in favor of Under-15, a move Mugisha said is aimed at aligning school sports with the official secondary school-going ages.
“We have made these institutional changes to accommodate all learners in secondary schools, in line with the National Sports Act,” Mugisha explained.
New Age Categories
USSSA will now operate with three age categories:
Under 20: accommodating players aged 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20
Under 17: for players aged 15, 16 and 17
Under 15: comprising players aged 13, 14 and 15
According to Mugisha, the new framework ensures that no age group within the secondary school system is left out of competitive sports.
Transfer Regulations Introduced

The Association also announced new transfer regulations that will attract financial charges. Mugisha said the transfer fees are intended both to strengthen USSSA’s administrative capacity and to safeguard student-athletes and their schools.
“The introduced transfer fees will help the Association run its administrative work. If you are requesting a transfer, it means you truly need that player. We are trying to protect both the players and the schools that nurture them,” he said.
Weekend Leagues Rolled Out
In a bid to promote talent development, USSSA has introduced weekend leagues to be played strictly on Saturdays and Sundays. The leagues will be organized at zonal and district levels and will involve schools within close proximity to minimize transport costs.
“Children can only improve their talents when they are on the field,” Mugisha noted. “These leagues will cater for age categories from Under 15 to Under 18, and the referees involved must be properly trained through capacity building.”
The model, which has been piloted in Nansana for the past three years, is now set to be rolled out across all districts and zones countrywide.
New Sports Disciplines Added

Mugisha also announced the introduction of new sports disciplines that will feature as demonstration events during the 2026 Ball Games II Championship in Gulu. These include Cricket, Baseball and Softball, Golf, Kabaddi, Kho Kho and Pickleball, all to be played by both boys and girls.
2026 Sports Calendar Unveiled
USSSA further released its full 2026 sports calendar, starting with:
Elite Schools Championship: February 26 – March 1, 2026, at Janan Secondary School, Bombo
Ball Games I: April 29 – May 9, 2026, at Seroma Christian High School, Mukono
National Boys’ Football Finals: May 10 – 20, 2026, at Lira Town College, Lira
National Swimming Gala: June 28 – 30, 2026, hosted by Seroma Christian High School
Ball Games II Championship: July 8 – 18, 2026, at Sacred Heart Secondary School, Gulu, featuring at least 23 sports disciplines
FEASSSA Championship: August 2026, in Morogoro, Tanzania
With the reforms now in effect, USSSA says it is positioning secondary school sports to be more inclusive, structured and compliant with national sports policy, while expanding opportunities for talent development across the country.