AFCON 2027 priority leaves Kobs out in the cold
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) confirmed on September 1, 2026, that the Kobs will not take part in the qualifiers, where they were scheduled to face Ethiopia over two legs between September 20 and October 6.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) president, Eng. Moses Magogo. (Courtesy Photo)
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Uganda’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have come at a cost to the country’s youth football, with the Uganda Kobs withdrawn from the U-23 AFCON qualifiers.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) confirmed on September 1, 2026, that the Kobs will not take part in the qualifiers, where they were scheduled to face Ethiopia over two legs between September 20 and October 6.
FUFA said the decision was linked to the Government’s financial priority towards the senior Uganda Cranes as they prepare for the 2027 AFCON, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.
“Considering that the Government has prioritised the Uganda Cranes’ preparations for AFCON 2027 for FY 2026/27, it is only imperative that this decision is painfully made now rather than later,” FUFA said.
“This affects the previous generation of the U20 (Boys). FUFA will provide further details on the participation of other national teams as more engagements with the Government are ongoing.”
James Bogere, Travis Mutyaba, Rogers Torach and many others are among the standout recent graduates from Uganda’s youth systems, the Uganda Cubs (U17) and Uganda Hippos (U20), who have successfully transitioned into the senior national team, the Uganda Cranes.
It is also a worrying repeat of the past.
In 2022, FUFA withdrew the Kobs from the 2023 U-23 AFCON qualifiers, also citing a lack of funds. The team had been scheduled to face Guinea in the second qualifying round.
Four years later, the Kobs have again been forced out of a major competition because of financial limitations.
The Uganda Cubs are supposed to participate in the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, scheduled for November 19 to December 13, after qualifying for the tournament. They are also expected to compete in the CECAFA U-17 zonal qualifiers in Kigali from October 10 to 25.
The Uganda Rhinos will represent the country at the 2026 U-15 FIFA World Cup in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31.
The Uganda U-20 Hippos are also preparing for the CECAFA U-20 AFCON qualifiers in Tanzania. They are in Group B alongside Sudan and Djibouti and will compete for a place at the continental tournament.
Uganda’s U-20 qualifiers are scheduled for September 15 to 25 in Dar es Salaam. The group winners and the best-ranked second-placed team will advance to the semi-finals, with the finalists qualifying to represent the CECAFA region at the 2026 CAF U-20 AFCON.
The Sand Cranes are due to take part in the 2026 AFCON Beach Soccer qualifiers from October 9 to 18, while the Crested Cranes are scheduled to face Zambia in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic qualifiers between October 8 and 16.
All these teams require funding for training camps, travel, accommodation, equipment and technical support.