The stage is set, the mountain air is crisp, and the drums of anticipation are already echoing through Fort Portal City. For the very first time in its history, the Boys’ Schools Cricket Week will pitch its tents in the land of the Tooro kingdom, from August 23rd to 31st, 2025.
After three straight years in Jinja, the championship migrates westwards, breathing new life into a city famed for its scenic hills and vibrant sporting culture. The tournament, a crown jewel of Ugandan schools’ cricket, has drawn 18 teams from six regions, each carrying with them the fire of qualification, the burden of expectation, and the hope of writing history on unfamiliar grounds.
All eyes, inevitably, fall on Jinja SS. The reigning champions arrive not merely to defend, but to chase immortality, a third consecutive title and a fourth overall. Yet, as every seasoned fan knows, cricket has a habit of humbling dynasties. Busoga College Mwiri, the record kings of this competition, lurk menacingly in the draw. And then there are the hosts, Nyakasura School, driven by pride, powered by home advantage, and cheered by the entire city.
But this is no ordinary festival of leather and willow. Beyond the numbers on the scoreboard lies a deeper mission: Uganda Cricket’s quest to unearth its next generation of stars. The finest talents will not only lift trophies but also book places in high-performance camps, sharpening their skills for age-grade national duty.
Six venues will witness the drama, two at Nyakasura, two at Canon Apollo, and two at St Leo’s Kyegobe. Across these grounds, friendships will form, rivalries will be reignited, and reputations will be tested. From King’s College Budo to Ntare School, from Gulu High to Horizon International, the map of Uganda will converge on one city, one week, and one dream.
The Line-Up:
Central Region: Shree Sahajanand School Uganda, St. John’s Mukono, St. John’s Kauga, King’s College Budo, Aga Khan High
Eastern Region: Busoga College Mwiri, Jinja SS, St. James SS, Kiira College Butiki, Goodheart SS, Horizon International
Northern Region: Gulu High, St. Joseph’s College Layibi, Masindi SS
Western Region: Nyakasura, Rwenzori High
South Western Region: Masaka SS, Ntare School
And so, as Sunday dawns, the first ball will be bowled, and Fort Portal will become the heartbeat of Ugandan cricket. For one week, the chatter of classrooms will be replaced by the sound of bat on ball, the cheer of boundaries, and the sighs of near misses.
This is more than a tournament; it is a pilgrimage of ambition. A chance for 18 schools to chase glory, for rising boys to dream of manhood in cricketing whites, and for Fort Portal to etch its name on the game’s storied map.
When the curtain falls on August 31st, only one school will lift the trophy, but every ball bowled will echo in memory. In the shadow of the Rwenzori mountains, legacies will be born, champions will rise, and the story of 2025 will be told not just in numbers, but in the poetry of cricket.
And as the sun sets over Fort Portal, one truth will remain, this is where the next chapter of Ugandan cricket began.
