AFCON Battle: Can Cranes soar to victory against South Africa, Congo Brazzaville?

Uganda Cranes Coach Cheers 2025 AFCON Draw

FUFA and Uganda Cranes officials have expressed satisfaction with the draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, which pits the national team against South Africa, Congo Brazzaville, and South Sudan. Uganda Cranes’ coach, Paul Put, described the group as fair, emphasizing the competitive challenge ahead. “Of course, there are no easy games and you cannot underestimate anything, but I think it’s manageable,” he remarked following the draw conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 4th.

South Africa, winners of the AFCON title in 1996, pose a significant threat in Group K, with matches scheduled between September and November this year. The Cranes last participated in the AFCON Finals in 2019 and missed out on the 2021 and 2023 editions due to hosting their games on neutral grounds. Recently, they resumed hosting matches at Namboole Stadium following renovations to meet CAF and FIFA standards.

Looking ahead to the qualification campaign, Coach Put hinted at early training camps with locally-based players. Despite a recent 1-2 loss to Algeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the team remains optimistic about using their home advantage to secure maximum points against their Group K rivals.

The last encounters between Uganda and South Africa in AFCON qualifiers occurred in 2004 and 2005, both ending in defeats for the Cranes. However, with preparations underway and a revitalized home ground, Uganda Cranes aims to qualify for the 2025 AFCON Finals slated for Morocco in December 2025 and January 2026.

The draw features 11 groups, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the tournament finals alongside hosts Morocco, who have automatic qualification.