Uganda’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a heartbreaking end on Tuesday night after a dramatic 2-1 away defeat to Algeria at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium.
The Cranes entered the crucial Group G clash needing a win to remain in contention for one of the four African playoff spots. And for a moment, it looked promising.
Steven Mukwala fired Uganda ahead just six minutes into the match. The Simba SC striker latched onto a well-controlled pass from Jude Ssemugabi, broke free of the Algerian defence, and slotted past goalkeeper Luca Zidane to stun the home crowd.
Uganda’s backline held firm throughout the first half, with Ssemugabi nearly doubling the lead before the break. Early in the second half, Allan Okello came inches from making it 2-0, while Algeria’s captain Riyad Mahrez missed a good opportunity moments later.
But the match took a dramatic turn in the final 10 minutes.
First, Mukwala conceded a penalty in the 81st minute, which was calmly converted by Mohamed Amoura. Just minutes later, goalkeeper Salim Omar Magoola misjudged a challenge in the box, resulting in a second penalty for the hosts. Magoola was injured in the incident and had to be stretchered off, with veteran shot-stopper Denis Onyango replacing him.
Amoura stepped up again and converted his second spot-kick of the night—his 10th goal of the qualifying campaign—sealing victory for Algeria and ending Uganda’s World Cup dream.
The result means Uganda finishes second in Group G with 18 points, falling short of the playoff phase for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Elsewhere in the group, Somalia lost 1-0 to Mozambique, while Guinea and Botswana shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw. In Group C, Rwanda were handed a 3-0 defeat by South Africa.
