The wait is finally over. The 2025 Fifa U-17 World Cup kicked off on Tuesday, with South Africa taking on Bolivia in the opener before hosts Qatar face 2024 European champions Italy in the second match.
Uganda will have watched some games before making their long-awaited debut on Wednesday at 8:45pm when they face Canada. The other Group K clash, between France and Chile, will be played simultaneously on a different pitch.
Head coach Brian Ssenyondo and his team arrived in Qatar on Saturday morning brimming with belief and ambition. Fueling that optimism is the experienced trio of captain Richard Okello and the Vipers pair Abubakali Walusimbi and Arafat Nkoola who all featured in the heartbreaking 2023 Cecafa Afcon qualifiers where Uganda fell to Somalia on penalties.
They are joined by Edrisah Waibi (Buddo SS), John Brian Owino, Simon Wanyama, and Enock Bagenda (KCCA), all of whom have progressed through Uganda’s youth ranks, having debuted with the Uganda Rhinos (U-15) side at the 2023 Cecafa Championships.
‘Of course, any coach would want to have his best players around the team and their addition is very important for us,’ Ssenyondo told Daily Monitor after arriving in Qatar.
‘It doesn’t only improve the team but also boosts the players around them because they bring valuable experience. These boys have come through the ranks, so their maturity is crucial.’
Nkoola and Walusimbi were standout performers during the Cecafa qualifiers, each scoring in the knockout rounds, though they missed out on the final Afcon squad. The World Cup group also features new faces Asiimwe, Waibi, Gilbert Mazige, and Kamurungi Nuweagaba from Kitara who didn’t play in Morocco.
The Cubs will next face Chile on November 8 before wrapping up their group campaign against France on November 11.
Under the new tournament format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the round of 32.
Uganda Cubs squad
Goalkeepers – Mukwanga Adrian (Vipers), Edrisah Waibi (Buddo SS), Gilbert Mazige (Nec)
Defenders – Mukisa Jovan Nsereko (Nec), Sengooba Hamuza (Masaka Sunshine), Oyirwoth Steven (KCCA), Torach Elvis (Masaka Sunshine), Ntege Abdul (Maroons)
Midfielders – Jjara Brain (KCCA), Ssozi Derick (Fort Portal Taxi Operators), Walusimbi Abubakali (Vipers), Magala Isima Mulala (Masaka Sunshine), Asiimwe John (Bukedea Comprehensive SS), Nuweagaba Kamurungi (Kitara), Owino John Brian (Express)
Forwards – Bogere James (Masaka Sunshine), Okello Richard (Bul), Wanyama Simon (Bukedea Comprehensive SS), Magogo Shakur Lucky Baggio (Namilyango College), Nkoola Arafat (Vipers), Bagenda Enock (KCCA FC SA)
Head coach – Brian Ssenyondo