David GOMBE
Uganda National U17 boys’ football team, the Uganda Cubs will play Ghana for a FIFA U17 World Cup slot.
The Uganda Cubs will battle Ghana in the playoffs qualifier with the winner progressing to the FIFA U17 Boys’ World Cup.
Uganda and Ghana will lock horns on Saturday evening (8PM) in Morocco to determine who prevails to the global showpiece.
Uganda failed to secure an automatic World Cup slot following a third place finish in Group B of the ongoing U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with four points. Ivory Coast and Cameroon climaxed the group campaign top and second respectively as well as securing World Cup slots.
Ghana were also finished third in their Group D with four points, behind top and second placed Senegal and Algeria.
The winner between Uganda and Ghana will qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup due in Qatar this year in November.
Meanwhile, the other playoff fixture will see Mozambique take on Ethiopia for the remaining World Cup slot.
It should be noted that Uganda used the same path to make it to last year’s World Cup beating Gambia 2–1 to become the first Ugandan national football team at any level to reach the global showpiece.
In Qatar last term, Uganda made history when they reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup before Burkina Faso ended their campaign.
Ten nations represent Africa at the tournament with eight teams progressing automatically by reaching the quarter-finals of the U17 AFCON. The remaining two spots are decided via playoffs that involve the four best third placed teams.
The 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup will be the 21st edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the annual international men’s youth football contested by the under-17 national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It is to be held in Qatar in November.This edition is the second edition of the annual cycle adopted by FIFA for the U-17 World Cup as well as the second to be played in a 48-team format (previously, held as a biennial 24-team tournament)
