Uganda Cranes head coach Paul Put has launched a scathing critique of FIFA’s decision to push back the release date for international players ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting the move has severely destabilised the national team’s build-up.
FIFA’s adjustment, shifting the mandatory release of foreign-based players to December 15, has, according to Put, completely derailed the carefully choreographed programme he had crafted to guide the Cranes into the tournament in optimal shape.
Speaking with visible frustration, the Belgian tactician said the reversal has created chaos where structure once existed.
“Most coaches are not happy with the decision by FIFA, because normally it’s two weeks before the tournament starts that you have your players from clubs to prepare,” he said.
Put explained that the new release window means Uganda will start camp with only a fraction of the full squad available, precisely during the phase designated for tactical polishing, squad harmonisation, and two critical international friendlies.
“Now suddenly, a few days ago, we received a message from FIFA that we can only have the players abroad on the 16th or 17th December. That’s not a good scenario. I was hoping to get all the players on time,” he noted.
The late arrival of key players inevitably undermines Uganda’s planned warm-up matches, fixtures Put had intended to use to test combinations, refine game models and lock down final selection calls.
“So we are going to have half of the team here to prepare until the 16th or 17th. That’s the period we have two friendly games which could have given us a chance to change a few things on the team, but now I cannot because I will not have all the players,” he lamented.
He added that the revised timeline leaves Uganda improvising instead of executing a clear AFCON build-up strategy.
“With this situation, it’s very difficult to make good preparations with the boys we have. So we have about 15 players and it’s a situation we have to deal with. All the plans we had made on how we would prepare the team are now very far from reality.”
Despite the disruption, the Cranes’ camp is slowly filling up. Several foreign-based players, Rogers Mato, Isaac Muleme, Salim Jamal, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Jude Ssemugabi and Travis Mutyaba, have already begun training. Captain Khalid Aucho and goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi joined the group on Tuesday.
But a significant portion of the squad, including Europe-based Toby Sibick, Jordan Obita, Timothy Awany and Alhassan Baba, will only arrive much later under the new rules.
Uganda is due to take on FAR Rabat and fellow AFCON finalists Gabon in warm-up fixtures before launching into a challenging group campaign against Tunisia, Tanzania and Nigeria, a run that now begins under a cloud of uncertainty Put believes could have been avoided.
