Why Uganda might have the world’s most passionate Arsenal fans

Arsenal fans in Uganda have a good party with a video hall and a bar all over the country after the team with Real Madrid won this week early this week.

The team based in North London won 3-0 at home in the first leg of the Champions League Junjun final stage.

The midfielder, DECLAN RICE and his passion, joy and worship, will be forgiven for thinking that Arsenal is located.

Every time the club plays, the African country knows it. With Manchester United, they are one of the most supported British Premier League (EPL) teams in the UK.

The church service, full of fans decorated with red and white in Gunners, was held before a big game.

The passion for Arsenal and other English clubs has led to Uganda’s entire industry, and the store and suppliers sell shops and large companies that are aimed at advertising around the results, while sports betting companies are large businesses.

“ISAAC MUMEMA, a veteran sports journalist, said,“ I have been dealing with football throughout Africa for many years, and I can tell you that Uganda’s football enthusiasm is another level.

In the case of SWALE SULEIMAN, a Manchester United fan and mechanic who met at Manchester United fans and capital, Campala’s garage, excitement is the fact that the EPL game is competitive, fun, sometimes unpredictable, and “small teams can be angry.”

The Uganda fan club was established for all the best English. WhatsApp group continues to discuss discussions over halls and pubs.

But Arsenal fans seem to pull it up to another level. He was arrested on charges of hosting a victory parade. After winning the big game, without a police notice.

However, this type of fandom also has a much ugly side, and love for the game sometimes turns into fatal violence when the rivality is hit among competing supporters.

Stone KYAMBADDE, chairman of the Uganda Football Coach Association (UFCA), told the BBC, “We are naturally attached to something perfect and Uganda people really like football.”

“This football fanatism has become stronger for the younger generation because I have seen the British Premier League anywhere,” he said.

They can keep their scores on their mobile phones, but they are mainly joint events, and even the farthest villages will have a temporary video hall where fans package them to watch the game.

But the villagers near the Lake Victoria gathered in December and celebrated Arsenal’s victory over Manchester United, and it was a funeral to ask for a 30 -year -old carpenter.

After speaking, the speaker mourned for the loss of John Senyange, who was a shooter for the rest of his life.

He was watching the game at the Video Hall in Lukaya village, and when the last whistle was voluntary cheering from Arsenal fans, competitors, including guards, were triggered.

At the beginning of the season, Benjamin NDYAMUHAKI, about 300 kilometers southwest of the Car Ballet, was stabbed by Arsenal supporters after arguing about the consequences of epic collision between Arsenal and Liverpool.

In 2023, there were four deaths related to Premier relations in various parts of this country. Two Arsenal fans were killed by Man UTD supporters, and after Man UTD was driven by Liverpool, the fan died in a mysterious situation, and others died after Arsenal lost to Man UTD and died of STAB wounds.

Uganda’s soccer violence goes back to the 1980s. Local games are characterized by throwing stone and fist fights among competitors.

Sports scientist LUMBUYE LINIKA said at the Kampala’s soccer stadium, “There was always a case of violence whenever the Uganda’s two major regional teams, Express FC and SC Villa had a major derby.”

However, situation experts are accused of fanningism due to gambling and many people are trying to live through betting.

A few years ago, in a tragic incident, the police said they killed themselves by poison after a man lost money.

Due to the injury of online gambling, it takes 1 second to bet through the app on the mobile phone, bringing hope to get a great combination with proud rights.

The game company also set up a viewing center where fans can bet on the game using the Uganda obsession with the EPL.

This is a place where the problem is often brewed. The competitor’s fan is teasing each other when the bet fails.

Amos Kalwegira, Amos Kalwegira, said, “There are limited job opportunities, so many football fans are betting in a way to make money.”

“This has become an intense emotional investment that often turns into an invasion when the soccer results are not advantageous.”

To Linika, this all proves corrosion. “Football must make us happy and Western football must be a form of entertainment, but here we have changed it to a way of gaining a living and ruining fun.”

However, Collins Bongomin, one of the senior Uganda betting companies, said the industry should not blame for football violence.

“People lack enough knowledge of managing expectations and anger,” the BBC pointed out to industry efforts to encourage responsible gambling.

According to the local media, the company, which has more than 20,000 betting stores nationwide, is proved to be advantageous for the government that collected about $ 50 million (40 million pounds) from last year’s tax revenue.

Some people note that fatal competition mainly includes Uganda’s arsenal and man UTD fans. This suggests that this is related to age and background.

Liverpool supporters, Linika, said his team tends to attract older crowds.

“We are now on the Premier League table and we rarely listen to Liverpool fans related to violence.”

Pamela icumar, known as MAMA Liverpool due to the enthusiastic devotion to Reds, agreed that fellow fans know how to manage their emotions when we lost.

But Arsenal Fan Agnes Katende laughed when I met them in Campala. MS ICUMAR is even part of the only fan club.

In the case of Solomon Kutesa, the secretary of the official Arsenal supporters in Uganda, the country’s drinking culture is responsible for football violence.

“Some fans are drunk and make it difficult to manage the game when the team is defeated,” the BBC said.

Some people suggest that they can return their fans to the local stadium, suppress hysteria out of the bar, and activate the Uganda Premier League.

KYAMBADDE said, “The current generation only knows about European football. If we invest more in local leagues, we can attract a lot of attention to foreign games.”

When he reached the finals of the African Cup State in 1978, Tom Langua, a former football player who played for the Uganda team, agreed.

“We became famous because we played when we were full of stadiums. We must come back to that era and manage the craze with European football.”

Others blame the lack of live television broadcasts on the decline of the Uganda League.

Asuman Basalirwa, the chairman of Ugandan Parliamentary Sports Club in Omondi Stadium, is one of those who want to strengthen local games.

“I’m one of the few MPs watching local football, and we want to see more leaders and even the president to come to the stadium to support the local team.”

But the next week is the most important for KUTESA, where love for Arsenal dates back to the era of players such as Nwankwo Kanu and Thierry Henry.

“Our feelings are high now. We are where we belong and this is definitely our season,” he said again in February.

Although the title bid is over, it is a powerful position to advance to the Champions League semi -finals in 16 years, avoiding disasters on the second leg with Real Madrid on Wednesday.