- 2024/ 25 Uganda Cup Final
- KCCA FC Vs Vipers SC – 6 PM | Kadiba Stadium, Lubaga
The wait is almost over. As the sun sets on May 31, 2025, the newly-constructed Kadiba Stadium in Lubaga will roar to life for the very first time and what better way to christen it than with one of the fiercest rivalries in Ugandan football, KCCA FC and Vipers SC, battling for supremacy in the 51st edition of the Uganda Cup.
This isn’t just any football final, it’s a meeting steeped in history, ambition and a thirst for glory. For KCCA, it’s a chance to reaffirm their legacy. For Vipers, it’s an opportunity to rewrite the past and usher in a new era of dominance.
- Roads to the final
KCCA FC punched their ticket to the final with a commanding 4-1 aggregate victory over FUFA Big League outfit Kataka, showcasing the kind of form that has made them a force in Ugandan football.
Meanwhile, Vipers SC had to dig deep to overcome Kitara FC in a tense semifinal affair. A moment of magic from Abdul-Karim Watambala, a curled strike just after the hour mark, sealed a 1-0 second-leg victory, completing a 2-0 aggregate win and sending the Venoms through.
With both clubs clearing their respective paths, the stage is now set for a collision that promises fireworks.
- History repeats
This will not be the first time these two giants square off in an Uganda Cup final. In 2018, a young Julius Poloto etched his name into the hearts of KCCA faithful with a decisive 42nd-minute strike that handed the Yellow Brigade a 1-0 win over Vipers in Bukedea.
Seven years later, Poloto returns to the spotlight not just as a goal scorer, but as the captain tasked with leading his side once again.
“Everyone knows how hard the game on Saturday will be, but we have no pressure,” Poloto told reporters at a press conference held at FUFA House in Mengo.
“We have prepared well and are ready to put up a good show against Vipers.”
Reflecting on that iconic 2018 final, Poloto added, “It gave me confidence but a lot has changed the system, the coaches. Still, if the chance comes by, why not? I want my team to win.”
On the other side of the rivalry, Vipers SC Captain Milton Karisa carries the weight of the club’s ambitions. Entering with a smile, Karisa made no secret of the challenge ahead.
“It won’t be an easy game against the record champions, but we want to put a smile on the faces of our fans,” Karisa said.
“Previously, we lost against them in 2018, but this is a new team now. This generation awaits greatness we want to lift that trophy.”
The final at Kadiba will also be played under a unique set of conditions under the floodlights, and on natural grass, a surface Vipers aren’t particularly accustomed to but Karisa remained unfazed.
“It’s natural grass, different from what we are used to, but we hope to have a good game there.”
