The Uganda Cubs have booked their place at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2026 after a commanding 3–0 victory over hosts Ethiopia in the CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers semifinal on Sunday at the Abebe Bikila Stadium.
The win confirms Uganda as one of the region’s three representatives at next year’s continental showpiece.
Uganda delivered a disciplined, energetic and tactically mature performance, with all three goals coming after the break. Lorian Lwesibawa broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute, finishing sharply after continuous pressure on the Ethiopian defence. Just two minutes later, Thomas Ogema doubled Uganda’s advantage with a calm and clinical effort that put the Cubs firmly in control.
The Cubs maintained their dominance and sealed the result in the 78th minute. Lwesibawa curled in a stunning free kick to complete his brace, beating both the wall and the goalkeeper with a beautifully struck effort.
Uganda’s defensive setup remained solid throughout, keeping Ethiopia at bay and limiting their attacking threat.
Earlier in the day, Tanzania became the first CECAFA nation to qualify for the U-17 AFCON after defeating Kenya 3–1 in the opening semifinal. With both finalists earning automatic qualification alongside the third-place team, Uganda’s win guaranteed their spot even before the final whistle.
