Afcon 2019: Cranes get Shs973m boost
Deal: Patrick Kaddu celebrates with Moses Waiswa the goal that took Uganda to the Afcon finals after beating Cape Verde at Namboole. PHOTO BY JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
- Fufa and Cranes coach Sebastien Desabre will be looking at, at least, a Cosafa team and another from the Arab world for friendlies ahead of the finals.
Kampala. Uganda Cranes 2019 Nations Cup finals have got a lift after Fufa, together with 23 other associations received cash for preliminary preparations ahead of the tournament kick-off on June 21.
The one month event will be staged in Egypt, where Uganda will be making a second successive appearance after burying a four-decade jinx at Gabon 2017.
Fufa head of communications Ahmed Hussein confirmed to this newspaper the $260,000 (Shs973m) handed to every one of the 24 qualified national associations by continental body Caf, is to help basics of their preparations.
But Hussein was non-committal on whether the money had landed on the FA accounts.
“Maybe you could reach out to Kiiza Decolas, the Fufa Finance Director,” he told us, “He would gladly share with you everything about finance.”
Our efforts to reach Kiiza were, however, fruitless as his known three mobile lines were unavailable when we called.
This Shs973m Caf advance payment will be supplemented by further government funding as Uganda make a seventh finals appearance.
It is, however, not free money as the same amounts will be deducted from the premiums to be received by each country at the end of the tournament.
The premiums range between $4.5m (Shs17b) for the eventual champions and $475,000 (Shs1.8b) for the teams that will be eliminated at the group stage.
Uganda open their Afcon campaign in Cairo, Egypt against DRC, following it with Zimbabwe before wrapping Group A with an almighty encounter against hosts Egypt.
Fufa and Cranes coach Sebastien Desabre will be looking at, at least, a Cosafa team and another from the Arab world for friendlies ahead of the finals.
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
Group A: Egypt (Hosts), DR Congo, Uganda,
Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar,
Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa,
Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon (Holders), Ghana, Benin,
Guinea-Bissau
CRANES FIXTURES
June 22: Uganda vs. DR Congo, Cairo
June 26: Uganda vs. Zimbabwe, Cairo
June 30: Egypt vs. Uganda, Cairo
