BUL FC Jinja City Queens once again proved their dominance in women’s football after defending the TICAD Cup, defeating refugee side Pagirinya 1-0 in the final of the fourth edition at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru

The tournament, which ran from September 4th to 6th, attracted eight teams — five refugee and host mixed sides (Agojo, Pagirinya, Palorinya, Rhino Camp, and Rwamwanja) and three from host communities in Jinja (Jinja SS, JIPRA, and BUL Jinja City Queens).

The opening ceremony was graced by the Ambassador of Japan to Uganda, H.E. Takuya Sasayama, FUFA officials led by Ronnie Kalema, UNHCR representatives, and JICA Uganda officials headed by their chairman Mr. Inoue Yoichi. JICA, the main sponsor of the TICAD Cup, partnered with the Office of the Prime Minister, Soltilo Bright Stars, UN Women, and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to deliver the tournament.

Mr Inoue Yoichi speaking to media on Saturday evening

Mr. Yoichi praised the competition for its wider impact on refugee girls:

“These games promote peaceful coexistence, help polish the talents of the girls, and give them exposure to scouts, which can later provide them with opportunities to earn from their abilities.”

BUL Queens’ head coach, Ayamba Rasuli, lauded the competitiveness of the tournament:

“All the refugee teams played good football. I thank JICA for organizing such an amazing event. If the teams keep training, they will become even more challenging in future tournaments.”

Team captain Balinabyo Hadija expressed her gratitude to the club chairman Ronald Barente, JIPRA, JICA, and her teammates for their collective effort. She also thanked the Japanese Football Association for providing the team with playing uniforms through JICA, which they proudly wore in the final.

In addition to the trophy, all participating teams received special player packages from JICA. Each side had registered 15 players, and all were recognized with awards on the final day.

Players pose with their packages after the the tournamnet

This year’s triumph marks back-to-back TICAD Cup victories for BUL Jinja City Queens, who also lifted the title in last year’s edition at the same venue.