Queen Cranes begin U20 World Cup qualifiers against Zambia

FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifier

First leg 

Saturday 7th (FUFA stadium Kadiba)

Uganda v Zambia 4pm

Second leg 

Saturday 14th (Lusaka)

Zambia v Uganda 4pm

Uganda’s bid for a place at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup kicks off on Saturday, February 7, when the Queen Cranes U20 host Zambia in the first leg of their two-round qualifier at FUFA Stadium, Kadiba Mengo.

The tie will be decided over two legs, with the return fixture set for Saturday, February 14 in Lusaka. The aggregate winner will advance to the final qualification round, where either Ghana or South Africa awaits.

Head coach Sheryl Botes has described Zambia as a tough and physical opponent but expressed confidence in her team’s readiness.

“Zambia is not an easy team. They are hard and very physical, but we also have physical players. With our strategies and effort, all I know is that we shall overcome them,” Botes said.

Uganda’s preparations have been intensive and well-structured. The team entered camp 14 days ago at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru, focusing primarily on fitness and endurance. Players underwent double training sessions to build stamina and improve conditioning.

    “We tried to maximise the number of sessions. The key performance focus was improving the girls’ endurance levels,” Botes explained.

She noted steady improvement as the camp progressed, particularly in team coordination and tactical understanding, giving the Queen Cranes confidence ahead of their crucial home fixture.