Betika Uganda Invests $4,000 in First Padel League

In Short

• Betika Uganda invested over UGX 15 million, about $4,000, to back the Betika Smash Premier League.
• Organisers say it is Uganda’s first structured padel league, run over nine weeks.
• The first season ended on May 23 in Kampala, with Smash Devils winning UGX 5 million.

What Happened

Betika Uganda, part of Betika, has invested more than UGX 15 million to launch the Betika Smash Premier League with Kampala-based Smash Padel. Organisers described it as Uganda’s first structured padel league.

Padel is a racket sport that blends tennis and squash. It is usually played in doubles on a smaller court with walls, a bit like squash walls meeting a tennis court.

The league ran for nine weeks, using scheduled fixtures and club-based play to move padel from casual matches into a regular competition. The opening edition had four clubs, Smash Devils, Smash Gunners, Smash Blues, and Smash Reds.

The format was modelled on the English Premier League, meaning recurring matchdays and a season table. Each club had 15 players across five skill levels to balance matches.

The final matchday took place on May 23 at Smash Padel Bukoto in Kampala. Smash Devils won the title and received UGX 5 million in prize money, about $1,350, plus medals and a trophy.

Why It Matters

For sports operators, early sponsorship can create long-term brand association in a growing niche. Betika Uganda’s marketing lead, Desire Akanduhura, said the operator wanted to shape the competition and matchday experience from the start.

For Uganda’s padel community, a structured league can help standardise rules, improve competition, and attract more players. Weekly Saturday fixtures also added entertainment like music and food, which can help build repeat attendance.

Betika Uganda and Smash Padel said they are already planning a second season, with expectations of wider participation and more formal development of the league structure.