The Uganda U17 national football team, the Cubs, will make their long-awaited debut at the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025 today, marking a historic milestone for Ugandan football on the global stage.
Ahead of their opening match, defender Hamuza Sengooba emphasized the importance of mindset and individual preparation as key ingredients for success at the tournament.
“Personally, I should have the right mentality and come with the right energy on and off the pitch,” Sengooba said. “Starting with game preparations as an individual and having the right mindset will help me bring the right performance and push as much as I can so as to help the team get the positive result we want.”
The young defender’s focus on discipline and personal responsibility reflects the overall tone in the Cubs’ camp as the team seeks to make an impression at their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance.
Uganda has been drawn in Group K alongside Canada, Chile and France, a challenging pool that promises an early test of the Cubs’ resilience and growth on the international stage.
The team has spent the past week in Qatar fine-tuning their tactics and acclimatizing to the conditions. According to the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), morale remains high as the players prepare to represent the country with pride.
