Galacticos Rise Through Storm To Crown 10th Aliguma Banda Slums Soccer Showpiece
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There was mud, there was doubt—and then there was magic.
A month after the dust (and puddles) settled at Acholi Quarters Playground, the 10th edition of the Aliguma Foundation Banda Slums Soccer Tournament stands tall as yet another triumph of resilience, community and raw football theatre.
10TH ALIGUMA FOUNDATION BANDA SLUMS SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Results Summary - Final
AQ Galacticos 1-1 Alur United
(AQ Galacticos won 5-4 on penalties)
Semi-Finals
AQ Galacticos 0-0 Nakawa Boyz
(AQ Galacticos won 10-9 on penalties)
Alur United 2-0 Kawenja FC
Quarter-Finals
Banda Nyumba 1-1 AQ Galacticos
(AQ Galacticos won 5-4 on penalties)
Luigi FC 1-1 Nakawa Boyz
(Nakawa Boyz won 5-4 on penalties)
AQ Shines 0-1 Kawenja FC
Banda Select 0-1 Alur United
On February 28, 2026, Acholi Quarters Galacticos edged Alur United 5-4 in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 1-1 stalemate to claim their maiden crown and write their names into the growing folklore of the slums’ biggest football festival.
Against the odds
The day nearly never happened.
Three separate rain interruptions left the pitch soggy and slippery, with no sign of a final even by 3:45pm. But in a remarkable turnaround, organisers led by Councilor Ismail Mukoiko and the Aliguma Foundation worked tirelessly to restore the surface.
By 4pm, the ground was not only playable—but packed.
“We had no hope at 3:45pm. But by 4pm the pitch was full. It was a miracle. It was a blessing,” Mukoiko reflected.
The final drama
Galacticos struck first through Simon Atin before Alur United responded via Hillary Jatugo.
With neither side able to find a winner in regulation time, the match headed to penalties—where drama reached boiling point.
Galacticos converted all five of their kicks, including a controversial last effort that struck the crossbar, bounced on the line, and was ruled in by the referee despite protests from Alur United players.
Shakur the saviour
The turning point came earlier in the shootout.
With the scores finely poised, Twaha Yawe Shakur, a striker by trade, stepped up in goal and saved Alur United’s second penalty—proving decisive.
Remarkably, Shakur had doubled as a goalkeeper throughout the tournament.
“In my family, everyone is a goalkeeper. It’s in the blood,” Shakur said.
“When my team needs me, I step up—whether it’s scoring or saving.”
Organiser Fred Tabu added: “Shakur has played for CATDA, Kireka United and Kamwokya United. He’s a natural. You can’t teach that instinct.”
TOURNAMENT SNAPSHOT
Venue: Acholi Quarters Playground
Final: February 28, 2026
Teams: 60+
Theme: Reduce, Recycle, Reuse
Partners: UEFA Foundation, UNHCR
Winners Prize: Trophy, Bull, Gold Medals (22)
Runners-up Prize: Goat, Silver Medals
Bigger than football
The tournament, played under the “Reduce, Recycle, Reuse” theme, once again blended sport with environmental activism and social transformation.
Over 60 teams participated across categories, with community clean-ups and awareness drives embedded into matchdays.
Aliguma Foundation CEO Ritah Aliguma hailed the milestone edition: “Ten years later, this has become bigger than we anticipated when we started out in 2017, now we feel like it is a movement for the better good. We are shaping lives, promoting education and building cleaner, united communities.”
Global touch
The closing ceremony was graced by representatives from the U.S. Embassy.
Cultural Attaché Lana Surface noted:
“We see talent here, but also discipline and purpose. Education and sport together can unlock global opportunities for these young people. I have never had as much fun in the field as I did during the finals at Acholi Quarters. It was a beautiful experience.”
Ezra Nuwenyine added:
“Programs like these are exactly why exchange initiatives exist—to nurture talent beyond borders.”
A decade on, Banda’s biggest football carnival continues to prove that even in the toughest conditions, dreams — like football — find a way to roll on.
BY THE NUMBERS
Teams: 60+
Matches: 100+
Final score: 1-1 (5-4 pens)
Top scorer: Alfred Onenchan (9 goals)
Longest shootout: Semi-final (10-9)
GROUP STANDINGS
Group A
Team MP GD PTS W D L
Banda Nyumba 4 +15 15 4 0 0
Alur United 4 +10 8 2 2 0
AQ Galacticos 4 +6 7 2 1 1
Thailand FC 4 -18 3 1 0 3
Kasenyi FC 4 -7 1 0 1 3
Group B
Team MP GD PTS W D L
AQ Raiders 4 +3 8 2 2 0
Mbuya Young Stars 4 +3 8 2 2 0
Nakawa FC 4 0 5 1 2 1
Kaka FC 4 +1 3 1 0 3
Kiganda Jungle FC 4 -9 0 0 0 4
Group C
Team MP GD PTS W D L
Nakawa Boyz 4 +9 10 3 1 0
Kiganda FC 4 +1 7 2 1 1
Cheeters FC 4 -4 6 2 0 2
Hommies United 4 -4 3 1 0 3
Works FC 4 -5 3 1 0 3
Group D
Team MP GD PTS W D L
Banda Select 4 +6 9 3 0 1
Luigi FC 4 +3 7 2 1 1
Kawenja FC 4 +1 6 2 0 2
AQ Shines 4 -1 4 1 1 2
Venders FC 4 -10 0 0 0 4
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Top Scorers
Alfred Onenchan (AQ Raiders) – 9 goals
Onen Dosantos (Luigi FC) – 7
Abur (Mbuya Young Stars) – 5
Okot Fred (Luigi FC) – 5
Denis Ola (AQ Raiders) – 4
ROLL OF CHAMPIONS
Season Champions
2025/26 AQ Galacticos
2024/25 Tigers
2023/24 Luigi FC
2022/23 NBA Shooting Stars
2021/22 Tigers FC
2020/21 Tigers FC
2019/20 Luigi FC
2018/19 Luigi FC
2017/18 Kiganda FC
2016/17 Kawenja FC
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