Uganda Peoplesâ Defence Force Football Club (commonly known as UPDF FC) is a Ugandan professional football club based in Bombo, Luweero District. The club currently plays in the Uganda Premier League, the countryâÂÂs top division.
UPDF FC has played in many leagues since 1980 but as Simba FC.
The club traces its roots to the famous Simba FC, the original army team founded in 1968, which won the Uganda Super League twice (1971 and 1978) and reached the 1972 African Cup of Champions Clubs final.
In 2016, the army acquired "The Saints FC", a club playing in the Uganda Premier League, and rebranded it as UPDF FC in 2017 following FUFA approval.
The club is owned and operated by the Uganda PeopleâÂÂs Defence Force. Management and funding are overseen by the army, while the day-to-day football operations are handled by a professional technical team. As of 2024, the head coach is Moses Basena, a former coach of the Uganda national football team.
UPDF FC has been a mid-table team in recent seasons. In the 2020âÂÂ21 Uganda Premier League, they finished 8th in their comeback season. In 2023âÂÂ24, the club finished 12th out of 16 teams, narrowly avoiding relegation.
Confirmed squad for the 2024âÂÂ25 season.