FMU unveils revised 2026 motorsport calendar

The Federation of Motorsport Uganda (FMU) has unveiled a revised 2026 calendar that introduces new disciplines, reshapes event schedules to fit budget realities, and expands the sport’s reach across the country.

This season, FMU will oversee at least eight disciplines, with Time Trial (TT) and drifting officially added. Drifting, which debuted as a pilot last year, has now been elevated to a full championship featuring four rounds.

E-sports has also been confirmed as a full championship following its strong showing in 2025.

Motocross remains a cornerstone of the calendar but has been trimmed from eight to seven events, while go-karting will run five rounds, down from seven last season.

FMU General Secretary Raynold Kibira explained that the changes were driven by the need for inclusivity and long-term sustainability.

“Disciplines like drifting and superbikes attract a huge following but were previously outside our guidelines. This calendar allows us to accommodate them,” Kibira said.

To encourage participation, FMU has aligned most events with school holidays, acknowledging that many competitors are students. Easter weekend remains the traditional date for the Motocross of African Nations (MX CAC1), while major rally fixtures such as the Boxing Day Rally are unchanged. Superbikes will compete under the motocross championship structure.

Not all tracks will host national events this season. Motorsport parent George Semakula noted that the number of available tracks exceeds the scheduled national events.

“We have eight tracks, which is more than the national events on the calendar. This means some tracks will miss out this year,” Semakula said.

In line with the National Sports Act, FMU is expanding into new regions to meet the requirement of covering at least 75 percent of the country. Arua, Katakwi, Soroti, and Mbale are being considered as potential hosts for National Rally Championship (NRC) rounds.

Despite the reforms, some competitors have raised operational concerns. Seasonal rally driver Dr. Mustapha Mukasa of the Drugs Express Rally Team urged FMU to improve its timing systems.

“Why should it take two days to release results after an event? That is unacceptable,” Mukasa said.

The 2026 NRC season opener will be staged in Mbale on March 20–21, ending Mbarara’s long-standing role as the traditional opening venue and shifting the season start away from January.

The season officially began on January 2 with the FMU annual awards ceremony at Silver Springs Hotel, where African Rally Champion Yasin Nasser was named Best Athlete of the Year.