Producer and writer Joseph Opio on Monday, May 20,  became the first Ugandan to win a Sports Emmy Award.

The Sports Emmy Awards, or Sports Emmys, are part of the range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry.

Opio, a former Vision Group journalist,  won the award for Outstanding Writing – Long Form for his docu-series The World According to Football. The series explores how soccer teams and fans in various countries confront global issues through the sport.

While receiving the award in New York in the US, Opio delivered an emotional speech, acknowledging those who supported him along the way, including Trevor Noah, the former host of The Daily Show, a comedy show, which ran between 2015 and 2022 in the US, where Opio was a contributor.

"I want to thank my good friend Trevor Noah, not just for narrating this docuseries, but also for allowing me to shamelessly ride his coattails from the very first day we met," Opio said.

He then thanked his team, especially his manager and the executive producer "who pushed me day and night."

"Thirdly, I want to thank my family back in Uganda, starting with my mom, Agnes Mukagatare, and my siblings Olive Mbabazi Kiracho, Josephine Kiracho, Benard Kiracho, Alfred, and Robert. And last but not least, I want to thank the greatest hype man of all time, Sharon Webabara, as well as the two most reliable wingmen in the world, Octavian Gideon Iranzi and Declan. This Emmy belongs to you even more than it belongs to me," Opio said

He then went local: "Ssabasajja Kabaka awangale. That’s in my language, and Nnabagereka agerekere Obuganda (Luganda phrases hailing the Kabaka and Nnabagereka). Thank you so much." 

Opio began his career hosting the satirical programme, LOL Uganda, which premiered on Urban TV in 2012. After two seasons, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in comedy. It was at the Comedy Cellar that he met Trevor Noah, who hired him as a writer for the first season of The Daily Show and the rest is history.

In January, Opio experienced success at the Primetime Emmy Awards with The Daily Show team.