KAMPALA, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Newly appointed Uganda Cubs head coach Laryea Kingston said he is optimistic his team will perform strongly at the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) zonal qualifiers for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026.
"Our last training session before traveling has been amazing. Everybody looks very sharp from the warm-up to the technical drills and the game situations. I have so much confidence in the team. They are performing very well," said Kingston, the former Ghana international who took charge two weeks ago.
The qualifiers will be held in the Ethiopian cities of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.
Uganda, the defending champion, has been drawn in Group B alongside Tanzania, Djibouti, Sudan and Burundi. Hosts Ethiopia lead Group A with Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Rwanda. The top three teams from the qualifiers will earn places at the U-17 AFCON 2026 and a pathway to the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026.
"You are here not as individuals but as Uganda. Give your best and listen to the coaches because you represent the future Uganda Cranes," said Edgar Watson, CEO of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations, to the team. ■
