Uganda Cranes Head Coach Joseph Paul Put believes that the team’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying group is fair but warns against underestimating their opponents.
The draw, conducted on Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa, placed Uganda in Group K alongside South Africa, Congo Brazzaville, and neighbors South Sudan.
Put, whose team is currently second in the FIFA World Cup qualifying standings, sees the draw as favorable on paper for the Cranes, who are eager to return to continental football after missing out on two consecutive tournaments.
But the Belgian, who was appointed to the Cranes job last year, replacing Micho, adds that while the group looks fair, he has come to understand that in Africa, there are no small teams.
“My reaction to the draw for AFCON 2025 is that it’s a fair group and it is playable, but we must not think this group is too easy or underestimate any team because in Africa there are no small teams anymore,” Put said in reaction to Thursday’s draw.
“The Cranes last participated in the AFCON in 2019 under French coach Sébastien Desabre. In their most recent attempt, Uganda narrowly missed qualification by finishing third in their group, just one point behind runners-up Tanzania. Algeria topped the group with 16 points.
“On paper, Uganda Cranes might have landed a fair group compared to previous ones where they faced giants Algeria and neighbors Tanzania, whose FIFA rankings have been improving over the years.
“In this group, only South Africa participated in the previous AFCON, and they too were returning after missing out on 2021, a scenario that perhaps supports Coach Put’s assessment of the draw as fair. But still, Put is correct when he says, ‘No team is small in Africa.’
“The last time Uganda Cranes shared an AFCON qualifying group with South Sudan was for the 2021 AFCON qualifiers, where the two teams shared six points with Uganda winning their home game and South Sudan defeating Cranes in the return leg, ultimately contributing to Uganda’s failure to qualify.
“Congo Brazzaville also missed out on the last AFCON by three points to The Gambia, who qualified as group runners-up with 10 points, but they did manage to win two games and draw one in qualifying.
“Coach Put says they will not allow any failures this time around. He said the team will start preparations as soon as possible to get ready for CAF’s flagship event, which East Africa is also preparing to host in 2027.
“Meanwhile, unlike the previous qualifying edition where Uganda Cranes faced significant challenges due to the lack of home advantage and were forced to play away from home, this time they will be playing at Mandela National Stadium in Namboole.
“Several analysts have argued that home advantage played a crucial role in Cranes’ previous qualification campaigns. During the recent qualifiers, Uganda Cranes had only one opportunity to host their home game in Uganda, facing Niger at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende before it was also blacklisted by CAF, forcing Cranes to seek refuge in Egypt and Cameroon.
“FUFA President Moses Magogo recently acknowledged the difficulties faced in hosting games away from home, both in terms of cost and environmental disadvantage. ‘We had to make a tough decision. No federation would wish to host games away from home because of the cost and environmental disadvantage, but we had no choice,’ Magogo said.”
