Uganda defender Toby Sibbick has urged his teammates to fight until the very end as the Cranes enter the decisive stretch of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
With two games left to play, Uganda’s path to a historic first World Cup appearance remains alive, but precarious. The team currently sits second in Group G with 15 points, four adrift of leaders Algeria, meaning Thursday’s clash with Botswana in Francistown is a must-win affair.
“We know there are two games left, and we want to win both to put ourselves in the best position,” Sibbick said. “Who knows, we could still top the group, so we have to keep believing.”
That message of belief has become the rallying cry within the Ugandan camp, which has now settled in Botswana ahead of the crucial showdown. After landing in Gaborone on Sunday, head coach Paul Put immediately put his players through sharp sessions at Lekidi Stadium before the team’s scheduled move to Francistown.
A strong local contingent, including Allan Okello, Rogers Torach, Hilary Mukundane, Enock Ssebagala, and KCCA’s Gavin Kizito, formed the first group to arrive.
They were later joined by an influx of foreign-based stars such as captain Khalid Aucho, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Kenneth Semakula, Steven Mukwala, and Sibbick himself, whose arrival added both calm and confidence to the squad.
Sibbick, who has become one of the team’s defensive anchors, emphasized that belief alone would not be enough, focus and resilience would be key. “This is the stage where every mistake counts,” he said. “We have to stay mentally sharp and play as a unit. Every point, every tackle, every goal will matter.”
After facing Botswana on Thursday, Uganda will travel to Algiers to take on Algeria at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium on October 14, a fixture that could determine the nation’s destiny.
