After a 45-year absence, Uganda’s Women’s National Handball Team, the Nile Queens, is set to return to the Africa Cup of Nations. The team last competed in the continental championship in 1978 in Algiers, Algeria.
In preparation for the tournament, the Nile Queens began a residential training camp on October 5, 2024, in Bakuli, Mengo. A squad of 24 players, led by head coach Jimmy Remie Orotin, has been selected for the camp.
The team’s leadership includes captain Shakira Bako Agarile, with Doreen Ondoa and goalkeeper Brenda Adokorach serving as vice-captains. The squad features five goalkeepers and 19 court players.
The 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Kinshasa, DR Congo, from November 27 to December 7, 2024.
Uganda will compete in Group B alongside hosts DR Congo, Angola, Tunisia, Guinea, and Cameroon. The top four teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
This tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 Women’s Handball World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Germany and the Netherlands.
The Nile Queens will depart for Kinshasa on November 25, with a contingent of 23 members, including 16 players and 7 officials. Approximately 400 million Ugandan shillings are required to cover team preparations and participation.
