CECAFA U17 Qualifiers
Group A: Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda
Group B: Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti, Sudan, Burundi
Kampala, Uganda: CECAFA U17 Defending champions Uganda Cubs have been handed a tricky draw in Group B of the upcoming TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers, where they will face regional rivals Tanzania, Djibouti, Sudan, and Burundi.
The young Cranes will be looking to defend their regional crown following last year’s memorable triumph, when they defeated Tanzania 2–1 in the final at Nakivubo Stadium, courtesy of goals from Arafat Nkoola and James Bogere in a thrilling contest.
This year’s qualifiers will be hosted by Ethiopia from November 15 to December 2, with matches scheduled at Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa Stadium in Dire Dawa.
The official draw, conducted on Friday, October 31 at the FUFA FM studios in Mengo, was presided over by Andrew Jackson Oryada, CECAFA’s Head of Marketing and Communication, who lauded CAF for its continued commitment to nurturing young football talent across Africa.
“We are happy that once again we have a platform created by CAF for the youngsters to play international football at zonal level,” Oryada said. “The best teams will qualify for the African stage, and finally the FIFA U-17 World Cup.”
The regional showdown will feature ten national teams, divided into two groups:
– Group A (Addis Ababa – Abebe Bikila Stadium): Ethiopia (hosts), Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Rwanda.
– Group B (Dire Dawa Stadium): Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti, Sudan, and Burundi.
According to CECAFA, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals. The semi-final losers will contest the bronze medal match, while the winners will face off in the final to decide the regional champion.
The champions, first runner-up, and second runner-up will qualify to represent the CECAFA Zone at the TotalEnergies AFCON U-17 2026, which also serves as a gateway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
With regional powerhouses like Tanzania and Burundi in their group, the Uganda Cubs face a challenging road ahead as they aim to defend their title and secure qualification to the continental stage.
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