The new coaching staff of the Uganda Cranes will have their first official test as the team prepares to face off against Guinea and Somalia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Uganda Cranes will play Guinea and Somalia on Friday 17th/11/2023 and Tuesday 21st/11/2023 respectively.
The team is currently in Morocco where they're having trainings and reports coming from the camp indicate that goalkeepers Ismail Watenga and Salim Jamal Magoola, plus defender Halid Lwaliwa, have joined the camp. Watenga and Salim Jamal flew in from their South African clubs Golden Arrows and Richard Bay, respectively as Halid Lwaliwa flew in from his North Macedonian club FK Bregalnica Stip.
Head Coach Paul Put has a big task ahead of him as Uganda Cranes seeks to register her first ever World Cup Qualification and the two matches will lay ground for the nation's hopes. Uganda Cranes is in Group G, with Algeria, Somalia, Guinea, Botswana, and Mozambique. The eventual group winner will automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Uganda Cranes squad
Goalkeepers
•Salim Omar Magoola (Richards Bay FC, South Africa)
•Isima Bin Rashid Abdul Watenga (Golden Arrows FC, South Africa)
•Jack Komakech (Vipers SC, Uganda)
Defenders
•Kenneth Semakula (SC Villa, Uganda)
•Gavin Kizito Mugweri (SC Villa, Uganda)
•Elvis Bwomono Okello (IBV Vestamanyaer, Iceland)
•Abdu Aziizi Kayondo CD Leganes, Spain)
•Ibrahim Juma (CD Leganes, Spain)
•Halidi Lwaliwa (FK Bregalnica, North Macedonia)
•Bevis Kristofer Mugabi (Motherwell FC, Scotland)
•Denis Timothy Awany (SC Ashdod, Israel)
•Rogers Ochaki Torach (Vipers SC, Uganda)
Midfielders
•Bobosi Byaruhanga (Austin FC, USA)
•Khalid Aucho (Yanga SC, Tanzania)
•Hudu Mulikyi (URA, Uganda)
•Allan Oyirwoth (AMUS College, Uganda)
•Bright Anukani (Vipers SC, Uganda)
•Travis Mutyaba (FC Dynamo Tbilisi, Georgia)
Forwards
•Umaru Lutalo (SC Villa, Uganda)
•Joseph Kizito Luwagga (Hapoel Kfar Saba, Israel)
•Denis Omedi (Kitara FC, Uganda)
•Fred Amaku (Maroons FC, Uganda)
•Richard Basangwa (Wadi Degla SC, Egypt)
•Rogers Mato (Sanliurfaspor FC, Turkey)
•Milton Karisa (Vipers SC, Uganda)
•Yunus Sentamu (Vipers SC, Uganda)
•Fahad Aziz Bayo (MFK Vyskov, Czech Republic),