El Jadida, Morocco – In a landmark moment for Ugandan football, the national Under-17 team secured their maiden qualification to a major FIFA tournament after defeating Gambia 2-1 at the Ben M’Hamed El Abdi Stadium in Morocco.
James Bogere emerged the hero of the day, netting both goals to guarantee Uganda’s passage to the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 scheduled for later this year in Qatar. This marks Uganda’s first-ever appearance at any FIFA World Cup event across all age groups and genders.
Uganda entered the play-off after finishing third in Group A of the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025. Despite a rough start — suffering a heavy 5-0 defeat to hosts Morocco — the Cubs rebounded impressively with a win against Tanzania. However, a subsequent 2-1 loss to Zambia forced them into the play-off route instead of automatic qualification.
Gambia, who previously qualified for the U-17 World Cup in 2005 and 2009, were aiming for a third appearance but found themselves undone by Uganda’s hunger and resilience. Bogere’s first goal came after a defensive error by Gambia, and his second — a brilliant solo effort — left the fans roaring with pride.
The final whistle triggered wild celebrations among the Ugandan team and technical staff, including head coach Hamza Lutalo, who praised the team’s mental toughness.
“We knew our history. We knew what was at stake. Today, Uganda’s name is written on the World Cup map,” Lutalo said.