FUFA withdraws U20 women team

By Swalley Kenyi

UGANDA U20 women team’s wait for an opportunity to feature in global competitions continues to appear oblique. FUFA has withdrawn the team from the Africa preliminary qualifiers of the 2014 FIFA Women World Cup in Canada.

Although the team overwhelmed South Sudan 22-0 on aggregate in the preliminary round, they advanced past first round when their would be next opponent Egypt pulled out.

The girls, who were due to start a comprehensive preparations for the second round qualifiers have also been confronted with FUFA’s decision to pull out of the qualifiers.

“FUFA hereby informs all stakeholders that the Uganda U20 Women National team has been withdrawn from the FIFA Women World Cup in Canada 2014,” federation CEO said in press release on Tuesday.

FUFA has argued that their assessment indicates that the federation would spend all their resource allocation for women football on the team against Ghana at the expense of other activities.

“The new trend requires (FUFA) to have substantial funds to prepare and organise both the home and away matches against Ghana. FUFA could not commit the funds at the expense of other women football activities scheduled on the football calendar year,” the statement continued in part.

Uganda was due to host Ghana on the weekend of 6-8 December 2013 before the return leg a fortnight later.