Uganda face acid test at IBSA Blind Football African Championship Division I in Egypt

Uganda Paralympic Committee Sports Development Manager Irene Nabisenke says the country’s participation in the IBSA Blind Football African Championship Division I in Egypt will provide an important test of the national team’s progress as it faces some of the continent’s strongest sides.

The competition will help Uganda assess its current level, gain experience against stronger opposition and identify areas that need improvement.

“The championship in Egypt will allow us to assess Uganda’s current level, gain experience against stronger opposition and identify the areas that require further improvement,” Nabisenke told Vision Sports.

Uganda will face hosts Egypt, Morocco, Mali, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Sudan in the championship.

Uganda earned promotion to Division I after finishing second in the 2025 IBSA Blind Football African Championship Division II, which the country hosted at Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo, Kampala. It was Uganda’s first international blind football competition.

“Competing in Division I is an important step for Uganda’s blind football development. The team earned promotion after finishing second in the Division II competition held in Kampala in 2025. They will now compete at a higher level against some of the strongest blind football teams on the continent,” Nabisenke added.

The championship is also important to Uganda’s hopes of qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. Nabisenke says it is a mandatory event in the qualification process.

“It is also important to Uganda’s wider journey towards becoming competitive in the qualification pathway for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, as it is a mandatory event on the pathway,” she said.

Uganda’s preparations have included the National Blind Football Championship and the Para Games in Soroti. The events gave the technical team a chance to assess players before selecting the national squad.

“Uganda’s preparations are progressing well. We recently held the National Blind Football Championship and participated in the Para Games in Soroti, which gave the technical team an opportunity to assess players from the participating teams and select the national squad,” Nabisenke said.

The selected players are currently training together at weekends ahead of a residential camp scheduled to start on December 5. Nabisenke says the camp will help them improve their skills, fitness and teamwork.

“They are now learning to operate as one national team. The camp will help the players improve their technical skills, fitness, communication and tactical understanding. It will also give them time to bond and learn how to work together, particularly where new players have joined the national team,” she said.

She expects the camp to prepare the players physically and technically for the challenge in Egypt.

“By the time they travel to Egypt, we expect them to be ready to compete and represent Uganda with determination,” she added.

The six players selected are goalkeeper Umaruh Ssegawa and Ronald Kamusiime of Strong Spirits, Jimmy Innocent of Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Kizito Nalugoda and Denis Okwera of KYUVISA Stars, and Rashid Ssemakula of Red Angels.

The selection process considered players’ visual classification, proof of Ugandan nationality, knowledge of the rules, ball control, dribbling, discipline and availability for training and travel.

Blind Football Uganda chairman Jagwe Muzafaru will lead the delegation, with Ali Zzinda as coach.

Uganda will also rely on Jimmy Innocent, who scored eight of MUBS’s nine goals when the university won its first national blind football championship title on September 5.