The Uganda U17 National Team will on Wednesday begin their 2026 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 campaign with a Group B clash against DR Congo in Morocco.
The Uganda Cubs head into the continental tournament carrying renewed belief and growing confidence following their recent rise on the African youth football scene. After making history by qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup last year, Uganda will once again target another memorable campaign on the continental stage.
A strong opening result could prove vital for the Cubs who were drawn in a highly competitive group that also includes Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire. The top two teams in each group will progress to the quarter-finals and automatically qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup, while two additional qualification slots will be determined through playoff matches.
Uganda’s preparations for the tournament have been encouraging. The team held a training camp in Casablanca where they registered victories in two international build-up matches, defeating Mozambique 3-1 before overcoming Mali 1-0.
Those performances have boosted confidence within the technical team ahead of the tournament opener as the Cubs seek to compete strongly against some of the continent’s leading youth sides.
Uganda qualified for the finals after an impressive showing at the CECAFA qualifiers where they finished runners-up to secure a place at the continental showpiece.
Captain Owen Mukisa is expected to play a central role in Uganda’s ambitions, while Brian Olwa and Thomas Ogema are among the players expected to provide inspiration during the tournament.
DR Congo also arrive highly motivated for their first-ever appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 after securing qualification through the UNIFFAC zone. Their debut appearance adds further excitement to the opening fixture, with both teams eager to begin the campaign on a winning note.
Elsewhere in the group, Cameroon enter the competition as one of the favourites having previously won the tournament twice, while Côte d’Ivoire qualified as WAFU B champions.
For Uganda, victory in the opening fixture would provide a significant boost ahead of the other upcoming fixtures of the group stage.
