Put organises house ahead of busy period

Uganda Cranes coach Paul Put has a timely opportunity to assess his team’s standing ahead of the resumption of the Fifa 2026 World Cup qualifiers in under three months time.

The Cranes have an intensive second part of the year in which they hope to qualify for Morocco Afcon 2025, as well as improve in their 2026 World Cup fortunes. 

In an attempt to return to Afcon finals for the first time since 2019, Put and his team will play six back-to-back matches between September and November this year.

But before that, the Cranes - whose first two World Cup qualification games have returned a loss and win - face Botswana and Algeria in June. 

To prepare for that, the Cranes have secured two credible friendly matches against Comoros and Ghana during the March Fifa international window.

Put, the Belgian Uganda coach, has henceforth named a 26-man squad for the two friendly matches, which will be played in Morocco on March 22 and 26 respectively.

Cranes captain Khalid Aucho and Abdul Aziizi Kayondo, who had initially been summoned, are left out of the travelling squad after picking up injuries.

New faces

Hearts utility player, Toby Sibbick, is one of two unfamiliar faces summoned by Put.

The 24-year-old, who can play as a central defender, wingback and central midfielder, is born to a Ugandan mother and an English father. 

He is a regular at Hearts (Scotland) having played 17 league games already this season. He played 32 last season.

The other is 23-year-old Athlone (Ireland) midfielder, Carl James Mujaguzi, who has played all four of his club’s league matches so far this season.

Mujaguzi, who has previously played for Olympic and IFK Malmo in the Swedish Division, was born in Kabarole District in Uganda, before moving to Sweden in his formative years.

According to the Fufa website, local-based players will converge immediately after the last game of the Uganda Premier League matches before the international break.

Foreign-based players will connect directly to Morocco from their respective clubs.

Uganda Cranes squad

Goalkeepers: Tom Ikara – Bul (Uganda), Jack Komakech – Vipers SC (Uganda), Giousue Bellagambi – Huddersfield Town (England)

Defenders: Kenneth Semakula – SC Villa (Uganda), Elvis Bwomono – St. Mirren (Scotland), Bevis Mugabi – Motherwell (Scotland), Toby Sibbick – Hearts (Scotland), Hallid Lwaliwa – Bregalinca STIP (North Macedonia), Timothy Awany – Ashdod (Israel), Denis Kaka Omony – Soltilo Bright Stars (Uganda), Nicholas Mwere – Bul (Uganda)

Midfielders: Allan Kyambadde – El Dakhleya (Egypt), Ronald Ssekiganda – SC Villa (Uganda), Ashraf Mugume – KCCA (Uganda), Bobosi Byaruhanga – Austin (USA), Moses Opondo – AC Horsens (Denmark), Travis Mutyaba – Zamalek SC (Egypt)

Forwards: Milton Karisa – Vipers SC (Uganda), Denis Omedi – Kitara (Uganda), Rogers Kassim Mato – Brera Strumica (North Macedonia), Moses Aliro Okabo – URA (Uganda), Steven Mukwala – Asante Kotoko (Ghana), Muhammad Shaban – KCCA (Uganda), Fahad Bayo – MFK Vyskov (Czech Republic), Carl James Mujaguzi – Athlone Town AFC (Ireland), Shafic Kakande – Soltilo Bright Stars (Uganda)

Fifa International window (friendlies)

March 22: Uganda vs Comoros, Morocco

March 26: Ghana vs Uganda, Morocco

Fifa 2026 WC Qualifiers

June 2024

Uganda vs Botswana

Uganda Algeria

*The Africa Zone (CAF) qualifiers for the Fifa World Cup 26 began on November 15, 2023 and will end in November 2025*

Afcon 2025 qualifiers

Preliminary round: March 18-26, 2024

Matchdays 1 and 2: September 2-10, 2024

Matchdays 3 and 4: October 7-15, 2024

Matchdays 5 and 6: November 11-19, 2024