Upcoming International Friendlies
June 5: Uganda v Tanzania
June 8: Madagascar v Uganda
Kampala, Uganda: Uganda national football team, The Cranes, will return to international action next month with two high-profile friendly matches against Tanzania and Madagascar as preparations intensify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Cranes will first face Tanzania on June 5 before taking on Madagascar on June 8, with both matches scheduled to be played in Marrakech, Morocco.
The international friendlies are expected to provide Uganda head coach Paul Put with a valuable opportunity to assess players, increase squad competition, and continue rebuilding the national team ahead of future continental assignments.
Uganda last played competitive football in December 2025 when the Cranes were eliminated at the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The June fixtures will also mark Uganda’s return to action after a frustrating March international window in which planned friendly matches against Bahrain and Mauritania in Turkey were cancelled due to security concerns linked to political instability in the region.
The announcement comes just days after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducted the draw for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers on May 19.
Uganda was placed in Group H alongside Tunisia, Libya, and Botswana.
The qualification campaign is scheduled to kick off in September 2026.
Although Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya have already secured automatic qualification for AFCON 2027 as co-hosts, the three nations will still participate in the qualifiers to maintain competitiveness and build momentum ahead of the tournament.
The clash against Tanzania is already attracting significant attention due to the growing football rivalry between the East African neighbours, who are jointly preparing to host the continent’s biggest football event.
Madagascar, meanwhile, is expected to provide another serious test after emerging in recent years as one of Africa’s steadily improving national teams.
For Paul Put and his technical team, the friendlies will be crucial in shaping the core squad expected to represent Uganda at AFCON 2027 and other upcoming CAF and FIFA competitions.
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