Uganda’s U-17 national team, the Uganda Cubs will be looking to make history on Saturday evening when they face Gambia in a high-stakes FIFA U-17 World Cup play-off match at the El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida, Morocco.
The winner will claim one of the final two African slots for the global tournament set for November in Qatar.
Having narrowly missed out on automatic qualification after finishing outside the top two in their group at the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, Uganda now has a second chance to secure a ticket to their first-ever U-17 World Cup appearance.
Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 East Africa Time (17:00 GMT), with Uganda’s youngsters aiming to build on an impressive continental showing that has seen them praised for their organisation, tactical discipline, and attacking intent.
Their opponents, Gambia, are no strangers to the world stage. The Young Scorpions have twice featured at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, in 2005 and 2009, and will be banking on that experience to reclaim their place among the world’s elite youth sides.
However, Uganda’s hunger for a breakthrough could prove decisive in what promises to be a closely contested encounter.
This play-off match is one of two fixtures determining the final African representatives at Qatar 2025. In the later game, Angola will take on Egypt in the same stadium.
Africa will send a record 10 teams to the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, including the eight quarter-finalists already qualified from the U-17 AFCON. The two winners from Saturday’s play-offs will complete the continent’s contingent.
The World Cup is scheduled to run from November 3 to 27 in Qatar, and scouts from clubs around the world are expected to keep a close eye on the event.
