Despite an early group stage exit at the ongoing U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Uganda’s U17 Men’s National Team, the Cubs, are still in the hunt for a ticket to the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
A narrow 2-1 defeat to Zambia in their final Group A match saw the Cubs finish third in the group with three points. Their campaign started with a tough loss to hosts Morocco but was quickly revived with an emphatic 3-0 win over Tanzania. However, the efforts fell short of a top-two finish that would have guaranteed automatic qualification to the World Cup.
Thanks to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) expanding its World Cup slots to 10, Uganda still has a lifeline.
The eight quarterfinalists have already booked their places in Qatar, leaving four third-placed teams to battle it out for the final two slots in a playoff showdown. Uganda’s next and final hurdle is Gambia.
The Cubs will face the Young Scorpions in a high-stakes, winner-takes-all match on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida, Morocco. The same venue will also host the other playoff clash between Egypt and Angola.
While Gambia brings experience from previous U-17 World Cup appearances in 2005 and 2009, Uganda is hoping to make history with their first-ever qualification. The Cubs had secured a spot in the 2021 edition, but the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
