Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) President Moses Magogo has expressed measured optimism about Uganda’s chances at the CAF TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 following the group stage draw.
Uganda, co-hosting the tournament alongside Kenya and Tanzania, is placed in Group C with Niger, Guinea, and two yet-to-be-determined qualifiers.
Speaking after the draw, Magogo acknowledged the challenge of assessing the group fully without knowing the identities of the remaining two teams.
“We don’t know who the other two teams are yet, so it’s hard to give a full assessment of the group right now,” he said.
However, he expressed confidence in Uganda’s ability to handle familiar opponents. “We have played against Niger and Guinea before. We are familiar with how they play. I know we shall give them a good game.”
Magogo highlighted Uganda’s strong home advantage, which he believes will be a key factor in the team’s success.
“The Uganda Cranes are very hard to beat at home. We are one of the best on the continent when we are playing with our 12th man,” he remarked, referencing the passionate Ugandan fan base.
The FUFA President set clear targets for the tournament, urging the team to make history by advancing past the group stage for the first time.
“The target now is to get out of the group stages. Once we reach the knockouts, anything can happen,” he stated.
Magogo also expressed a broader regional ambition, calling for the CHAN trophy to remain in East Africa.
“We want the CHAN trophy to stay in East Africa,” he said, emphasizing the pride and unity co-hosting the tournament has brought to the region.
The Uganda Cranes have a challenging road ahead, with their group still shrouded in uncertainty as Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, The Gambia, Comoros, and Gabon vie for the final two qualification slots.
With the tournament now postponed to August 2025, Magogo expressed confidence that Uganda will have ample time to prepare, both on and off the pitch.
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