The President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), Hon. Magogo Moses Hassim, has hailed the historic achievement of the Uganda U17 national football team, the Cubs, following their qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking during a reception hosted at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala to welcome the team back home, Hon. Magogo praised the players, technical team, and support systems that made the milestone possible.
“The coach and your entire team—this is your moment to enjoy but also for Ugandans,” he said with a beaming smile, reflecting on the significance of the achievement for the country’s football.
He expressed deep appreciation to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the Minister of Education and Sports, also First Lady Janet Museveni, and the entire Government of Uganda for their continuous investment in sports infrastructure and youth development.
Magogo lauded the young players for their discipline, maturity, and dedication, noting that the milestone is a result of years of strategic planning and effort. He thanked the players’ parents and schools for allowing the children to participate during the academic term.
“These are players under 17, still under parental care, and we appreciate that their guardians and schools allowed them to represent the country,” he stated.
He further credited football academies and clubs for identifying and nurturing talent from a young age, often starting as early as 10 or 11 years old.
Magogo highlighted several youth-focused initiatives FUFA has implemented to build a sustainable football development pipeline. These include:
Magogo mentioned the success stories of several players who have risen through FUFA’s ranks, such as Joseph Langol, Simon Wanyama, Shakur Magogo, Lukyamuzi Ashraf, Gavin Kizito, John Brian Owino, and Thomas Ogema.
He emphasized that FUFA’s progress is not accidental, but rather a product of deliberate planning under the FUFA Technical Master Plan, which includes district-level scouting and a web-based platform for tracking talent growth.
“FUFA has been strategic with its plans, and you cannot say we just got lucky. Luck finds those who have a strategy and plans,” he stated.
The U17 team’s qualification is a historic first for Uganda and a testament to the federation’s long-term vision of building a strong, competitive footballing nation through youth empowerment and infrastructure development.
With government backing and continued investment in grassroots football, FUFA appears poised to usher in a new era of success for Ugandan football.
