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Uganda’s Rugby Cranes 7s have been forced to withdraw from the 2026 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Championship in Mauritius after Ebola-related travel restrictions prevented the team from entering the island nation.
Uganda Rugby confirmed the development on Wednesday, bringing an end to the national team’s hopes of competing in the continental tournament scheduled for June 20-21 at SPARC in Cascavelle, Mauritius.
The withdrawal follows measures introduced by Mauritian authorities barring entry to foreign nationals who have travelled from, transited through, or been present in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
In a statement, Uganda Rugby President Godwin Arinaitwe Kayangwe said the federation had no option but to pull the team out of the competition.
“Uganda Rugby would like to inform stakeholders and fans that the Rugby Cranes 7s will not participate in the 2026 Rugby Africa Mauritius Sevens,” Kayangwe said.
The tournament was expected to bring together 12 of Africa’s top rugby nations, including defending champions South Africa, hosts Mauritius, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Morocco, Madagascar, Tunisia, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
Uganda’s absence is a major blow to the Rugby Cranes 7s, who had been preparing to compete against some of the continent’s best teams in a championship that also forms part of Rugby Africa’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
Despite the setback, Uganda Rugby revealed that discussions are ongoing with Rugby Africa and other stakeholders to explore alternative opportunities for the national side.
“Rugby Africa, the Rugby Committee and Uganda Rugby are actively engaging to explore possibilities for HSBC Division 3 qualification,” the federation said.
Uganda Rugby also stressed that the safety and well-being of players, officials and supporters remain a priority as the Ebola outbreak continues to affect travel and sporting activities across the region.
The development adds to a growing list of disruptions affecting Ugandan sport due to Ebola-related restrictions. In recent days, several international engagements involving Ugandan national teams have either been cancelled or affected by precautionary measures imposed by host nations.
Uganda Rugby says it will continue engaging relevant authorities and provide updates as discussions regarding the team’s international calendar progress.
