Ugandan football enthusiasts are buzzing with excitement after the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifiers draw was announced on Thursday.
Organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the draw placed Uganda in Group K alongside South Africa, Congo Brazzaville, and South Sudan.
The top two teams from each of the 11 groups, along with host Morocco, will automatically qualify for AFCON 2025, set to be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
Ugandans are thrilled about the draw, viewing it as a promising opportunity for the national team to return to Africa’s premier football tournament. Uganda last participated in AFCON in 2019 in Egypt, reaching the round of 16.
Fred Obbo, a national team supporter, expressed his optimism at Lugogo Indoor Stadium. “I am so happy about this draw because we have a good young team that can beat all the other three teams,” he said.
Another fan, Sarah Namayanja, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of preparation and understanding their opponents. “With good preparations and trying to learn a lot about the three opponents, Uganda Cranes have a huge chance of qualifying. We need to make sure the national team makes a good start in the qualifiers, which will set a good momentum,” she told Xinhua.
Uganda will start their campaign with an away match against South Africa, followed by hosting Congo Brazzaville at the newly renovated Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, later in the same month.
Jimmy Kiyimba, another football fan, highlighted the importance of thorough preparation despite the favorable draw. “These days, teams have improved globally, and some of the teams that are not highly ranked are fond of causing upsets. But I think we have a good chance,” he added.
The qualifiers, commencing in September and concluding in November 2024, also feature notable teams such as reigning champions Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, the Gambia, Morocco, Gabon, Central African Republic, Lesotho, Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritania, and Botswana.
