AFCON 2025: Can we make amends?

Uganda will be aiming to make amends during the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualification after missing out on the 2021 and 2023 editions.

The AFCON Morocco 2025 qualifiers group stage was revealed last week on Thursday 4, July 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and will commence in September, with the final round ending in November 2024. 

Uganda was drawn in Group K alongside South Africa, Congo, and South Sudan. 

Opponents threat

There is a lot of work that needs to be done for Uganda Cranes and head coach Paul Put to get past their opponents. 

Based on their previous performances, South Africa is the team to beat. The Bafana Bafana are the 2023 AFCON second runners-up.
 
Furthermore, they have more experience (11 tournaments played) than any of their group K counterparts. South Africa, set the record at the 1996 AFCON, by becoming the third African nation to win the title on its debut as hosts. 

They also finished as runners-up and quarterfinalists in 1998,2000 and 2002. 

Congo Brazzaville will ask Uganda a lot of questions. The Red Devils have qualified for the same tournaments (7) as Uganda but the difference is their triumph (3-2 win) against Mali in 1972 that secured their first title.

Meanwhile, South Sudan is the least fancied team in Group K but Uganda Cranes will be reminded of their match-up in the 2021 Afcon Group B Qualifiers that sent Jonathan Mcknistry packing upon losing that fixture 1-0 in Sudan.

Despite finishing at the bottom of group B on six points and missing out on qualification for the main tournament in Cameroon, South Sudan will be ready to give their opponents a run for their money this time around. 

Paul Put must be exceptional 

Uganda Cranes head coach, Paul Put admitted that it will be challenging but insisted every game needs to be won in his remarks in the aftermath of the Morocco 2025 Afcon group qualifiers draw.

Despite fewer games played under Uganda Cranes' stewardship, including the recently played 2026 World qualifiers against Botswana and Algeria at the newly opened Namboole Stadium, Put is yet to convince Ugandans that he is the man the team needs. 

Many fans still have fresh memories of failed qualifications in 2021 and 2023 where Uganda finished third behind Malawi and Tanzania on 8 and 7 points respectively due to some reckless mistakes that could have been avoided. 

Therefore, he has to be exceptional to progress through the group and go further.