Uganda has stamped its authority on the Uganda International Series 2026, sending 18 home players into the quarter-finals across the women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
The hosts will be represented in 15 quarter-final combinations when the knockout action resumes on Saturday, keeping Uganda firmly in contention for valuable BWF ranking points and a share of the US$10,000 prize purse.
Uganda’s strongest showing has come in the women’s singles, where four home players have reached the last eight.
Top seed Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi will face India’s Akshita Manral, while third seed Tracy Naluwooza takes on India’s Ishita Negi.
Fourth seed Kruthum Nalumansi will meet India’s Aesha Gandhi, with second seed Gladys Mbabazi facing Algeria’s Yasmina Chibah.
The four Ugandans reached the quarter-finals with commanding performances in Friday’s Round of 16.
Fadilah brushed aside compatriot Robinah Bako 21-5, 21-5, while Naluwooza defeated India’s Harshita Singh 21-5, 21-17.
Nalumansi eliminated fellow Ugandan Immaculate Anembabazi 21-11, 21-16, while Mbabazi dispatched Christine Fridah Mbuya 21-11, 21-7.
Uganda’s challenge is even more pronounced in the doubles, where several home combinations have survived into the knockout stages.
In the men’s doubles, Emmanuel Kirabo and Joseph Ssonko will take on India’s third seeds Abhyuday Choudhary and Ayush Makhija, while fourth seeds Muzafaru Lubega and Reagan Michael Nsubuga face India’s Manav Choudhary and Himanshu Tiwari.
The women’s doubles draw will feature two all-Ugandan battles.
Christine Fridah Mbuya and Kruthum Nalumansi face second seeds Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi and Tracy Naluwooza, while Gladys Mbabazi and Meble Namakoye meet compatriots Robinah Bako and Vanessa Nassali.
Uganda’s Nazifa Nakiyemba and Kate Ndagire will also be in action against India’s Akshita Manral and Ishita Negi.
The hosts also have a strong presence in the mixed doubles, although those quarter-final pairings add further Ugandan-versus-Ugandan clashes.
Second seeds Reagan Michael Nsubuga and Tracy Naluwooza will face fellow Ugandans Kotecha Harshil Hemal and Dhruvi Sagar Dattani, while top seeds Muzafaru Lubega and Gladys Mbabazi take on Emmanuel Ajuna and Precious Nagawa.
Joshua Ekochu and Kruthum Nalumansi will meet Algeria’s Mohamed Abdelaziz Ouchefoun and Linda Mazri.
Uganda entered the four-day tournament with the largest contingent, fielding 67 players among 115 competitors from 14 countries.
However, the men’s singles draw has already seen the hosts’ hopes end, leaving the women’s singles stars and the numerous doubles combinations to carry Uganda’s challenge into the decisive stages.
With the quarter-finals set for Saturday at Lugogo Indoor Stadium, Uganda remains heavily represented as the tournament moves closer to its finals and the battle for ranking points and prize money intensifies.
