Uganda’s U-17 national team may have missed out on regional glory, but their journey ended with the most important reward qualification for the 2026 AFCON U-17 finals in Morocco. The Cubs were edged 3–2 by a sharp Tanzanian side in Tuesday’s CECAFA final at Abebe Bikila Stadium in Ethiopia.
The fixture, a rerun of last year’s championship clash won by Uganda, unfolded with a different script this time. Tanzania flew out of the blocks and grabbed an early advantage in the 6th minute. Uganda hit back through Thomas Ogema eight minutes later, but a loss of concentration at the back allowed Tanzania to punish the Cubs with two goals in a five-minute spell, handing them a 3–1 halftime lead.
Tanzania’s Razack Juma was the star of the evening with a brace, while Luqman Mbalasalu added the other.
Uganda pushed relentlessly after the restart and nearly swung the momentum their way when they won a penalty. However, Ogema saw his attempt expertly stopped by the Tanzanian goalkeeper. The Cubs continued to press and eventually snatched a late goal deep into added time, but the effort came too late to alter the result.
Before the final, Uganda had impressed with a dominant 3–0 victory over hosts Ethiopia in the semifinals. Tanzania, meanwhile, progressed to the decider with an unbeaten run that included a 2–1 win over Uganda in the group phase.
Despite the heartbreak, Uganda secured one of CECAFA’s three slots for the 2026 AFCON U-17 tournament, alongside champions Tanzania and hosts Ethiopia. The qualifiers featured ten teams: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Burundi, and Djibouti.
What a valiant effort from the Cubs! It’s fantastic to see them fight right to the end and secure that AFCON spot – truly inspiring.