By 
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has confirmed that the planned international friendly match between the Uganda Cranes and Zanzibar, scheduled for June 11, 2026, at the New Amaan Complex, has been cancelled.
According to FUFA, the decision was communicated by the Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF), which cited government health precautionary directives as the reason behind the cancellation.
In a statement to FUFA, ZFF expressed regret over the development, saying the decision was beyond their control.
“The decision was beyond our control. We value our friendship and remain committed to rescheduling the match soon.”
The cancellation comes as another setback for the Uganda Cranes, whose preparations during the June FIFA international window have been heavily disrupted by health-related concerns.
Earlier this month, Uganda’s planned international friendly matches against Tanzania and Madagascar in Morocco were also cancelled despite the team already being in Marrakech ahead of the fixtures.
The Cranes had travelled to Morocco for a training camp and were scheduled to face Tanzania on June 5 before taking on Madagascar on June 8 as part of preparations for the AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifying campaign. However, the matches were called off following sanitary and public health considerations communicated by authorities through the designated match agents.
The cancelled fixtures denied head coach Paul Put an opportunity to assess his squad, which included a blend of experienced internationals and emerging talents, ahead of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers set to begin later this year.
The Zanzibar match had also been expected to provide valuable game time for the national team while strengthening football ties between Uganda and Zanzibar as FUFA continues to mark its centenary celebrations.
With matches against Tanzania, Madagascar and Zanzibar all called off, Uganda’s June international programme has been significantly affected, leaving the Cranes without the competitive tests they had hoped for ahead of a crucial AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign.
