Lakeside Showdown: 14 Nations come for Uganda’s AirBadminton crown

Uganda’s AirBadminton crown is under siege as fourteen African nations will descend on Entebbe’s Aero Beach for the third Africa AirBadminton Championship, turning the shores of Lake Victoria into a continental battleground.

And this time, Uganda will not have the luxury of surprise. The 2024 champions will face Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Comoros, defending champions Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe in a four-day showdown from 16^th to 19^th September, played on two courts at one venue.

Uganda earned that target in Mauritius at the inaugural championship. Despite having only learnt the outdoor format and its official rules weeks before the tournament, the Ugandans tore through the field at Mont Choisy Beach.

They started with a ruthless 60-8 demolition of Comoros before surviving a 60-57 thriller against hosts Mauritius. South Africa were next; Uganda edged them 60-58 before finishing the job against Tunisia with a 60-47 victory to seal the continental crown.

It was a remarkable breakthrough with players like Augustus Owinyi, Muzafaru Lubega, Olivia Nakajja, Malha Musa, Sharifah Mbabazi and Fred Kadoli, guided by coach William Kabindi, who had announced Uganda as the team to beat.

Uganda also struck gold in the Women’s Triple event and took silver in the Men’s Triple.

But much has changed since that breakthrough. The championship has grown from six countries at the first edition to 11 in Ghana and now 14 in Uganda.

The second edition, held in Accra in 2025, saw Uganda sit out, with Egypt eventually claiming the title after beating Nigeria in the final.

Now defending champions Egypt and Nigeria return, alongside a bigger field hungry to calm down the hosts’ ego.

Uganda’s current squad is already putting in the work at Mbogo High School this week. Reagan Nsubuga, Muzafaru Lubega, Bruno Agaba and Denis Mukasa are among those training, with Tracy Naluwoza, Gladys Mbabazi, Olivia Nakajja and Malha Musa also in camp.

Three players from the squad that conquered Mauritius return, bringing experience of what it takes to win on the continental stage.

For the hosts, home advantage could prove decisive with the breeze from Lake Victoria, the sand underfoot, and the roar of a home crowd will all form part of Uganda’s defence.

How different is AirBadminton from the usual format?

AirBadminton is indoor badminton moved outside, developed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The sport uses a heavier, wind-resistant AirShuttle and can be played on sand, grass or hard outdoor courts.

The triples format adds another tactical twist. In 3v3 action, no player can hit the AirShuttle twice in succession. Every return must involve another teammate, demanding sharp movement, communication and timing.

The doubles and triples court measures 16m by 6m, while singles is played on a 16m by 5m court. There is also a two-metre dead zone on either side of the net where the AirShuttle cannot land.

Matches are best of five games, with each game played to 11 points. At 10-10, a two-point advantage is required, unless a player reaches the 13-point cap.

It is faster, tougher, and far less predictable than the indoor game, and Badminton Uganda has been steadily pushing the outdoor version through grassroots programmes such as Shuttle Time.

Hundreds of physical education teachers have been trained, taking the sport beyond traditional indoor halls and into areas such as Busoga and Bunyoro.

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