Uganda’s U17 national football team, the Cubs, have made history, qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup for the first time.
In a tense and emotional playoff against The Gambia’s Baby Scorpions on Saturday evening, the Cubs came from behind to win 2-1, booking their ticket to the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup set to take place in Qatar from November 3 to 27.
Uganda’s hero of the night was 17-year-old forward James Bogere, who scored a stunning first-half brace to overturn an early deficit and send the nation into jubilation.
Bogere, who had been a fitness doubt ahead of the match after missing two days of training, recovered just in time and was selected by head coach Brian Ssenyondo; a decision that proved pivotal.
The match got off to a nightmare start for Uganda, with The Gambia’s Ahmed Njindu striking in the opening minute to give the Baby Scorpions an early lead.
But Uganda, spurred by determination and the weight of national hope, quickly found their footing.
In the 13th minute, Bogere latched onto a beautifully delivered cross from Elvis Torach and calmly slotted home to equalise.
With momentum on their side, the Cubs pressed on, and in the 33rd minute, Bogere struck again, this time with a sublime curling effort that left the Gambian goalkeeper Sebastian Darboe helpless.
The Cubs held firm in the second half, defending their slim lead with heart and grit to seal one of the most significant victories in Ugandan football history.
“This is our last chance,” Coach Ssenyondo had said before the match. “Gambia is a strong side, very competitive. But the World Cup has always been our dream—we have to fight for it.” And fight they did.
Uganda’s road to qualification was far from easy. After finishing third in Group A of the CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations; behind hosts Morocco and Zambia, the Cubs earned a second chance via a playoff slot.
Their 3-0 win over Tanzania had been the high point of the group stages, but heavy defeats to Morocco (5-0) and Zambia (2-1) meant Uganda had to go the hard way.
CAF had been allocated 10 slots for the upcoming World Cup, with the top two teams from each of the four AFCON groups qualifying automatically.
Uganda, one of the four third-placed finishers, had to face The Gambia in one of two high-stakes playoffs for the final spots.
The other playoff, between Egypt and Angola, will determine the last African representative in Qatar.
For Uganda, this historic qualification is not just a victory on the pitch, but a redemption of sorts.
In 2021, the national U20 team, the Hippos, had qualified for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Indonesia after a remarkable run to the finals of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, the tournament was ultimately cancelled due to lingering pandemic concerns, robbing Uganda of a golden moment on the global stage.
This time, the Cubs are set to become the first Ugandan football team ever to feature at a FIFA World Cup tournament.
