AFTV crew arrives in Uganda, hits back at UK critics

• Robbie Lyle and the AFTV crew arrived in Uganda for a six-day official tour.

• They were welcomed by large crowds of Arsenal fans at Entebbe Airport.

• Lyle responded to criticism from Tottenham YouTuber Expressions Oozing.

• The visit combines football watch parties, youth workshops and tourism promotion.

The Arsenal Fans TV (AFTV) crew led by founder Robbie Lyle arrived in Uganda late Friday night for a six-day official tour.

The crew will be connecting with local Arsenal fans and promoting Uganda to a global audience.

The team touched down at Entebbe International Airport from London aboard a Uganda Airlines flight and was welcomed by scores of excited Ugandan Arsenal supporters who had gathered to receive them.

Lyle was flanked by AFTV personalities including Cecil Jee Thomas and Lee Judges, with the full delegation made up of an 11-member production crew. 

The visit runs from April 24 to April 30 under the banner “Explore Uganda” and is branded as “5 Games to Glory Begins… Uganda Tour 2026.”

The trip is the first major visit by the popular Arsenal fan media platform to Uganda and forms part of broader efforts to position Uganda as a sporting tourism hub ahead of AFCON 2027.

Soon after arriving, Lyle addressed jokes made by fellow British football YouTuber Expressions Oozing, a passionate Tottenham Hotspur supporter known for his loud and comedic football reactions.

Expressions had mocked Lyle online, claiming he had “run off” to Uganda in embarrassment as Arsenal prepared to “bottle” another Premier League title race.

Lyle brushed off the comments and promised a response.

“I just came back from LA last night and I had to come straight on this flight, so I didn’t get time, but I saw him shooting off his mouth. Don’t worry, I’ve got something for him tomorrow,” he said.

The Uganda tour will combine fan engagement with tourism promotion and youth empowerment through digital media workshops.

On Saturday morning, the team is expected to host a digital content and wealth creation workshop at Kati-Kati Restaurant in Kampala, focusing on storytelling, content creation and social media monetisation for young Ugandans.

Later in the day, Robbie Lyle will headline a major watch party for Arsenal’s clash against Newcastle United, also at Kati-Kati. 

The crew will also hold a VIP Champions League watchalong at Kampala Serena Hotel and take part in a two-day tour of national parks and tourist sites to showcase Uganda’s attractions to AFTV’s millions of viewers worldwide.

Sponsors and partners for the trip include Kampala Serena Hotel, Uganda Airlines, Guinness, Vision Group, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Government of Uganda through the National Organising Committee chaired by Barbara Nabirye.