As Uganda Cranes put final touches on their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, defender Toby Sibbick believes the tournament presents a rare opportunity for the team to redefine how they are viewed on the continental stage.
The Burton Albion player is set for his first AFCON appearance and sees the Morocco showpiece as more than just a personal milestone. For Sibbick, it is a chance for Uganda to test itself against Africa’s elite and push beyond modest expectations.
Uganda will open their campaign against Tunisia on December 23 before taking on Tanzania and continental heavyweights Nigeria in a challenging group. Sibbick admits the task ahead is demanding but insists the squad is embracing the pressure rather than shying away from it.
Training sessions, he says, have been deliberately intense, with internal matches used to sharpen competitiveness and simulate the demands of tournament football. The defender, capable of operating both centrally and on the right side of defence, is tipped to play a key role in a backline that blends experience with versatility.
With qualification to the knockout stages extending beyond just the top two in each group, Sibbick believes consistency and belief will be crucial. The ambition, he stresses, is not merely to participate but to compete, win matches and make a lasting impression.
Uganda will draw inspiration from their 2019 AFCON outing, when they advanced beyond the group stage before bowing out to Senegal. This time around, Sibbick and his teammates are determined to go further and announce the Cranes as a side capable of standing toe-to-toe with Africa’s best.
