State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang has implored Uganda’s team headed for the 2024 ISF World Football Championships in China to have a winning mentality on top of everything if they are to defy all odds and deliver success.

Ogwang said this while flagging off Bukedea Comprehensive College, Amus College, and St Mary’s College-Kisubi (SMACK) who are to represent the country at the second edition of this championship.

The 2024 ISF World Football Championship is slated for May 17 to 24 in Dalian, China.

St Noah Girls, Kibuli SS, and Amus College represented the country at the first edition in 2023 in Morocco and this year’s trio will hope to exceed the former’s performance.

“Forget about your schools. You are going to China as team Uganda. I therefore urge you to have a winning mentality if you are to return home with the trophy,” Ogwang noted.

“The flag I’m putting before you is an embodiment of your country. Put your country on top of everything. Ugandans are going to watch you and they expect good results from you.”

Ogwang who will head Uganda’s delegation to China warned the leadership of the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) headed by Patrick Okanya who was also in attendance to up their efforts in fighting age cheating in secondary school football.

“I guess we have no 30-year-olds who are traveling with us. We saw what happened in Masaka during the National Secondary Schools Football Championship,” Ogwang said.

“We are doing an investigation on what transpired. We have patterned with UNEB, NIRA, and other organs to get rid of this vice."

Mark Kazire who will captain Team Uganda in China has assured Ugandans of success at the championship.

“We know the task ahead of us because we are going to face the world’s best teams. That aside, our mission is to upset everyone and return home with the trophy," Kazire said.

Meanwhile, Bukedea Comprehensive’s head coach Ronald Ssali’s mission is to have his boys tick and bounce back from losing the Nationals.

“Our mission is to bounce back from losing the nationals in Masaka. The boys are in good spirits. In China expect us to fight up to the last minute”.

The flagging off was also attended by Rev. Duncan Mugumya, the commissioner for Sports in the Ministry of Education and Sports, and David Katende the National Council of Sports Assistant General Secretary in charge of technical, among others.