Uganda's school football teams await CAF Championship draw in Ghana
Ahead of the draw, St. Mary's Kitende head coach Hassan Zzungu expressed confidence in his team's preparation.
St. Noa Girls Secondary School football team. File photo
Chrispus Baluku
Journalist @New Vision
Uganda's school football representatives, St. Noa Girls Secondary School and St. Mary's Kitende, will discover their group stage opponents when the official draw for the CAF African Schools Football Championship takes place on Monday, April 21, in Accra, Ghana.
Ahead of the draw, St. Mary's Kitende head coach Hassan Zzungu expressed confidence in his team's preparation. "This is a big moment for the boys and for our school. We know the competition will be tough, but we've prepared well," he said. "We are going to Ghana to compete, not just to participate. We believe in our players and we are aiming for better results this time. No matter which teams we face, our goal is to represent Uganda with pride and give our best on the pitch."
The draw ceremony will feature African football legends Asamoah Gyan (Ghana) and Yaya Touré (Côte d'Ivoire), alongside other notable figures including Abedi Pele, Adjoa Bayor (Ghana), Robert Kidiaba (DR Congo), and Amanda Dlamini (South Africa). CAF stated that these legends will also support the participating teams throughout the competition.
Uganda's St. Noa Girls School qualified after winning the CECAFA regional qualifiers last year, while St. Mary's Kitende secured their place as runners-up. This marks Kitende's second appearance at the tournament; last year, they drew with Senegal and lost to Tanzania, failing to advance from the group stage.
Uganda has consistently qualified for the finals since the championship began in 2023. The country's best performance came last year when Kawempe Muslim School claimed bronze in the girls' category.
The tournament, backed by CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, aims to develop youth talent and school infrastructure. Winning teams will receive USD 300,000 each, with USD 200,000 for runners-up and USD 150,000 for third-place finishers.
In related news, CAF and FUFA recently rewarded Royal Giant High School and Amus College School with new buses for their performances in the 2023 CECAFA Zonal Championship. Royal Giant won the boys' title, while Amus College secured third place in the girls' category.
The 2025 CAF African Schools Football Championship Continental Finals will be held in Accra from April 23 to 26.