UPDF FC Appoint Hussein Mbalangu as Head Coach on Three-Year Deal
Bombo-based UPDF Football Club have named Hussein Mbalangu as their new head coach ahead of the 2026-27 StarTimes Uganda Premier League season. The club has handed the experienced tactician a three-year contract as it looks to build stability and move away from the relegation zone.
Mbalangu arrives after a short six-month spell at URA FC last season, where he was later replaced by Jimmy Kintu Mwera. However, his CV extends well beyond that stint.
He has previously coached abroad in Somalia, and in the Uganda Premier League with NEC FC, Mbarara City, and Blacks Power FC. That breadth of experience is what UPDF will be banking on as they prepare for a difficult campaign.
The Army side has struggled for consistency in recent years and was in a relegation battle again last season. UPDF finished 14th out of 16 teams, managing just 22 points from 30 matches. Survival was only confirmed on the final day, highlighting the scale of the task Mbalangu now faces at the Bombo barracks.
Credit to UPDF FC
With a longer contract and a clear mandate, Mbalangu has time to implement his ideas. His immediate priority will be to steady the ship, tighten a side that leaked points last term, and give UPDF a platform to climb the table in 2026-27.