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The Uganda U17 national team will kick off their 2026 AFCON U17 campaign on Wednesday evening with a crucial Group stage showdown against DR Congo in Morocco.
The Cubs head into the tournament carrying the hopes of a nation eager to see another historic run on the continental stage following last year’s breakthrough FIFA U17 World Cup qualification.
Drawn in a difficult group alongside DR Congo, Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda know a strong start could prove decisive in the battle for a place in the quarter-finals and automatic qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup.
Only the top two teams in each group will qualify directly for the World Cup and advance to the knockout stage, while two additional places will be decided through playoffs.
Uganda arrive in confident mood after an encouraging preparation camp in Casablanca where they registered impressive victories against Mozambique and Mali in international friendlies.
The Cubs defeated Mozambique 3-1 before edging Mali 1-0 in warm-up matches that helped fine-tune the squad ahead of the tournament opener.
Uganda qualified for the finals after finishing runners-up in the CECAFA qualifiers and will now be targeting a place beyond the group stage for the first time in the competition’s history.
The spotlight will once again fall on captain Owen Mukisa, while Brian Olwa and Thomas Ogema are expected to play key roles for the Cubs in the tournament.
Uganda face a DR Congo side equally determined to begin the tournament strongly. DR Congo are making their tournament debut after finishing second in the UNIFFAC qualifiers, adding even more intrigue to Wednesday’s opening encounter.
Cameroon, two-time winners and UNIFFAC champions, remain one of the strongest names in the competition, while Côte d’Ivoire arrive in Morocco as WAFU B champions after defeating Ghana on penalties in the final in Yamoussoukro.
A positive result against DR Congo would hand the Cubs early momentum ahead of the difficult fixtures against the West and Central African heavyweights.
