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Uganda Cranes bowed out of World Cup, but will have now to prepare for AFCON due in December
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Uganda Cranes will feature at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled for 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026 in Morocco, but not at the FIFA World Cup due next summer in Mexico, Canada, and the USA.
The Cranes could not emulate the Blue Sharks of Cabo Verde, who, with a population of just 560,000 and a national stadium seating 25,000, became the second smallest nation after Iceland to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in the 2018 edition in Russia.
Stephen Mukwala is embraced by teammates after scoring against Algeria yesterday
Uganda’s dream of reaching their first-ever global football showpiece in this expanded edition of the championship came to an end in dramatic fashion. A late comeback from Algeria saw the hosts overturn a 1-0 deficit to win 2-1 at the Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed in the Algerian city of Tizi Ouzou.
The loss left Uganda on 18 points, in second place on goal difference ahead of Mozambique but behind group leaders and qualifiers Algeria. However, Uganda fell short of ranking among the best four second-placed finishers across the nine groups after CAF ruled that points collected against bottom-placed teams would be deducted in determining the best runners-up.
Algeria made it to the FIFA World Cup after a long time of waiting
This regulation eliminated Uganda, who had earned six points from bottom side Somalia, and instead elevated Nigeria and Cameroon, who finished below Uganda in total points. Nigeria had collected two points from Zimbabwe, while Cameroon had taken four from Eswatini.
In the upcoming continental qualifying playoffs for the best four second-placed teams, due in Morocco, Nigeria will face Gabon, while Cameroon will take on DR Congo in the semifinals. The winners will meet in the final to determine who advances to the intercontinental playoff, where two final World Cup slots will be contested.
Uganda foreign based players Jude Ssemugabi, Jordan Obita, Toby Sibbic, Elio Caprodisi and Aziz Kayondo line up against Algeria on Tuesday
Meanwhile, South Africa secured their return to the global showpiece for the first time since hosting it in 2010, after a commanding 3-0 win over Rwanda in Mbombela last evening. Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen led the Super Eagles to a 4-0 rout of Benin, sealing second place and a playoff qualification.
South Africa had earlier been docked three points for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho, and their 0-0 draw with Zimbabwe further complicated their campaign. However, with Nigeria’s victory over Benin and goals from Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, and Evidence Makgopa in the 3-0 win over Rwanda, Bafana Bafana automatically qualified as Group C leaders.
In this expanded World Cup, South Africa joins Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal, and Ivory Coast as Africa’s confirmed representatives.
Uganda’s Journey to the World Cup Quest
Uganda’s campaign for a place at the World Cup began on November 16, 2023, with a fateful 2-1 loss away to Guinea. Striker Fahad Bayo equalized in the 30th minute, cancelling out an early strike from Aguibou Camara, before Seydouba Cissé netted the winner in injury time.
Cranes’ Subsequent World Cup Qualifiers up to October 14, 2025:
Nov 21, 2023: Somalia 0–1 Uganda — Rodgers Mato (4’)
June 7, 2024: Uganda 1–0 Botswana — Shaban Mohamed (74’)
June 10, 2024: Uganda 1–2 Algeria — Travis Mutyaba (10’)
March 20, 2025: Mozambique 3–1 Uganda — Shaban Mohamed (7’)
March 25, 2025: Uganda 1–0 Guinea — Allan Okello (30’)
Sept 5, 2025: Uganda 4–0 Mozambique — Rodgers Mato (2), Allan Okello, Capradosi
Sept 8, 2025: Uganda 2–0 Somalia — Allan Okello, Jude Ssemugabi
Oct 9, 2025: Botswana 0–1 Uganda — Jude Ssemugabi
Oct 14, 2025: Algeria 2–1 Uganda — Steven Mukwala (6’)
