Uganda Cubs storm FIFA U-17 World Cup finals in Qatar
Germany will defend the title they won in thrilling fashion at Indonesia 2023 when they beat France on penalties in a dramatic final
KAMPALA, April 13, 2025 –– For the first time in its history, a Ugandan team will take part in a FIFA World Cup. The Uganda Cubs, the Under 17 [U-17] national football team, [won their play-off clash 2–1 against The Gambia in Morocco yesterday, securing their ticket to Qatar this November.
Forward James Bogere, who coolly netted a brace, was the saviour in a tense encounter against a determined Gambian side. Already influential during the group stage, Bogere confirmed his status as a key player at a crucial moment, propelling Uganda into a new era of football.
Trailing 1–0 after Gambia opened the scoring in the opening seconds, the young Cranes never panicked. The equaliser came just before half-time, with Bogere finishing cleanly after a perfectly weighted pass slipped in behind the defence.
In the second half, the Uganda Cubs had numerous dangerous opportunities, driven by a dominant midfield and a focused defence. The winner came in the 78th minute, when Bogere struck a clinical cross-shot following a pinpoint assist from the excellent Yusuf Ssekamatte.
The final whistle sparked an eruption of joy on the Ugandan bench.
A historic qualification, the result of an ambitious youth development project and a close-knit squad.
Meanwhile, Egypt downed Angola 2-1 to book their spot in the same tournament. The young Pharaohs broke the deadlock when Abdel Aziz El Zoghby’s effort took a deflection and rippled the net in the 39th minute. Hamza Mohamed Abdel Karim then tacked on an insurance score in the 69th with a shot that banked in off the post.
Angola launched a late comeback bid and pulled to within 2-1 in the 83rd minute courtesy of Lourenco Jose Didissa, but Egypt would hang on to pocket the victory and World Cup berth.
The biggest-ever edition of the showpiece tournament will feature 48 teams for the first time. The event will take place in Qatar from 3-27 November.
Football greats Luis Figo, Francesco Totti, Ronaldinho, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Neymar and Phil Foden are graduates of the U-17 World Cup, and today’s generation of exciting young players are now primed to showcase their talents on the global stage.
Germany will defend the title they won in thrilling fashion at Indonesia 2023 when they beat France on penalties in a dramatic final. They will face elite opposition from across the globe.
FIFA U-17 World Cup qualified nations
AFC: Qatar [hosts], Indonesia, Japan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
CAF: Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zambia.
CONCACAF: Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and USA.
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Venezuela.
OFC: Fiji, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.
UEFA: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland.
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