The Federation of Uganda Football Associations has confirmed that the Uganda U-17 national team, popularly known as the Cubs, has been drawn into a challenging Group B at the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.
According to the official draw, Uganda will compete against Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Democratic Republic of the Congo in what promises to be a highly competitive group.
The tournament is scheduled to run from May 18 to June 2, 2026. The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals and automatically qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Two additional teams will also secure qualification through playoff matches.
Uganda heads into the competition with rising confidence, built on steady progress over the past decade. The Cubs first made their mark at the continental level during their debut at the 2019 U-17 AFCON in Tanzania, where they narrowly missed out on a semi-final slot after finishing third in their group with four points.
The team later qualified for the 2021 edition in Morocco after winning the CECAFA qualifiers. However, the tournament was called off shortly before kickoff due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, denying the Cubs another opportunity to showcase their growth.
A major milestone came during the 2025 campaign, when Uganda advanced to the FIFA U-17 World Cup playoff stage. A crucial 2-1 victory over The Gambia secured the country’s first-ever qualification for a FIFA tournament at any level.
At the subsequent World Cup in Qatar, Uganda delivered an impressive performance, reaching the Round of 16. The Cubs recorded notable victories, including a historic win over France and a disciplined knockout-stage triumph against Senegal, before bowing out on penalties to Burkina Faso. That run firmly established Uganda among the top 16 U-17 teams globally.
