FUFA tasks new women's teams coach Hailegebreal with World Cup qualification
Hailegebreal was appointed on Friday on a two-year contract to oversee the Crested Cranes, Queen Cranes and Teen Cranes.
FUFA PHOTO
FUFA first vice-president Justus Mugisha has challenged new Uganda women’s national teams head coach Asefa Firew Hailegebreal to deliver success in all women teams.
Hailegebreal was appointed on Friday on a two-year contract to oversee the Crested Cranes, Queen Cranes and Teen Cranes.
Mugisha said FUFA expects the Ethiopian coach to qualify Uganda’s women’s teams for regional, continental and World Cup competitions and compete strongly after qualification.
“We expect him to qualify the teams for the regional cup, the continental competitions and also the World Cup. And not only qualify them, but also perform at the highest level after qualifying,” Mugisha said.
He also tasked Hailegebreal with creating a clear pathway for female players from school football through clubs and into the national teams.
“As the head of all the women’s teams, we expect him to establish the pathway for women players as they move from school football to clubs, the national team and finally to the continent,” he added.
Hailegebreal is familiar with Ugandan football, having previously coached Kampala Queens, now KCCA Women FC, and led the club to the FUFA Women Super League and FUFA Women’s Cup titles
“We request all the supporters, the clubs to work hand in hand with him. We are in the process of appointing assistant coaches in consultation with him. We have finalized that and we shall now in a short time release the list of the teams that will work under him to deliver the success that we expect of them” he said
He also previously coached Ethiopia’s senior and junior women’s national teams.
Hailegebreal took over from Sheryl Ulanda Botes after FUFA opted not to renew the South African coach’s three-year contract.
His first major assignment will be the Crested Cranes’ two-legged Olympic qualifier against Zambia. Uganda hosts the first leg on October 8 before travelling to Lusaka for the return leg on October 13.
The winner on aggregate will face either Ghana or the winner between Mauritius and Djibouti in the next round. Only two African teams will qualify for the 2028 Olympic women’s football tournament in Los Angeles.
The Crested Cranes started preparations on Monday under coach Collines Ahumuza, who led the first training session at MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo.
Botes, appointed in November 2023, guided the Teen Cranes to their second straight CECAFA U17 Women’s Championship title and the Queen Cranes to bronze at the 2024 African Games in Ghana.
Her senior-team tenure ended with mixed results at the 2025 CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship, where Uganda lost to Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania but beat South Sudan 5-0.
The FUFA Women Super League is currently on a break to allow selected players to join the national team camp and will resume on October 17.