Uganda Women’s National Team head coach Sheryl Botes has expressed confidence in her squad selection ahead of the WAFCON 2026 qualifiers against Ethiopia, highlighting the balance between experience and emerging talent.
Speaking during the squad announcement, Botes acknowledged Ethiopia’s strength but remained optimistic about Uganda’s chances.
“We know that Ethiopia is a strong team. We hope that the team we compile today is strong enough to give us a good performance and a good result against Ethiopia,” Botes stated.
With Uganda set to host the first leg on February 21 before traveling to Addis Ababa for the return fixture on February 26, Botes pointed out that Ethiopia has included several players from their U20 team, whom the Crested Cranes faced at the All Africa Games in Ghana last year.
To counter that, she has also brought in young talents to blend into the senior squad.
“Ethiopia included 7-8 players of the U20 team whom we faced in the All Africa Games in Ghana last year. We’ve also brought in some younger players to see how we can blend them into the senior squad,” she noted.
Among the notable young players in the squad is teenage goalkeeper Lillian Nakirya, whose performances with the U17 (Teen Cranes) caught Botes’ attention.
The coach revealed that Nakirya is being considered for both the U20 and senior team setups.
“It is always good to bring younger players into the senior team so they can see what it means to compete at that level. I liked Lillian’s performance with the Teen Cranes (U17) and we are earmarking her for the U20 team, too,” Botes explained.
The Crested Cranes boss further emphasized her long-term vision of developing young talent, confirming that several U17 players are in her plans for future national team projects.
“Many other U17 players are in my plan,” she added.
With a squad blending seasoned campaigners and promising youngsters, Uganda will be looking to secure a positive result against Ethiopia and take a step closer to WAFCON 2026 qualification.
The team is set to enter camp on February 9, with training sessions at MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo.
