Uganda Cubs show improvement but still have work to do – Coach Kingston

Uganda Cubs head coach Laryea Kingston has admitted that his side is steadily improving but still needs more work as preparations for the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) enter their fourth week.

“It has been very good so far. I think the boys have done better compared to the previous weeks. In the first weeks they were slow, but now they are in a good state,” the Ghanaian coach said.

The Uganda U-17 men’s national team has been in camp at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru since March 10.

The 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, scheduled for April 25 to May 15 in Morocco, will feature Africa’s best youth teams competing for continental glory and qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The top 10 teams will secure World Cup spots.

“The fitness level is there, and tactically it has been on point. They understand the concepts we are teaching. One thing that will help us is to train on natural grass because AFCON will be played on that surface,” Kingston added.

The Cubs have already played two friendly matches, including an 11-1 victory over Progressive High School, showing signs of improvement as the team builds cohesion.

Uganda will rely on a group of players who impressed during the CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers, where they secured qualification despite losing to Tanzania in the final.

During the qualifiers, the Cubs dominated the group stage with big wins over Burundi (4-0), Sudan (9-0), and Djibouti (6-0), before beating Ethiopia 3-0 in the semi-finals. They narrowly lost to Tanzania in the final but finished the tournament with 25 goals scored and only five conceded, underlining their attacking strength.

Kingston emphasized the need for continued hard work and focus as the tournament draws closer.

“We must stay focused, keep improving every day, and build strong teamwork. The boys must believe in themselves and be ready to compete at the highest level,” he said.

The squad includes Ssesazi Anderson Earnet, Ismail Habib, Epila Emmanuel, Kawooya Nicholas, Ibanda Arafat, and Owen Mukisa, representing schools and academies across the country.

The technical bench is led by Kingston, assisted by former internationals Steven Bengo, Ibrahim Saddam Juma, and Yasin Mugabi.

Uganda’s preparations also build on their historic performance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, where they reached the Round of 16 and became the first Ugandan team to play at that level.

One of the standout players from that campaign, James Bogere, has since signed a professional contract in Denmark and earned a call-up to the senior national team.