FUFA has on Tuesday confirmed the withdrawal of the Uganda U23 team (Uganda Kobs) from the 2027 AFCON U23 Qualifiers due this month.
Uganda Kobs were scheduled to face Ethiopia at the first qualification round later this month, but FUFA has confirmed this will not happen.
“The Uganda U-23 National Team (The Kobs) has been withdrawn from the AFCON U-23 Qualifiers. Uganda was due to play Ethiopia over two legs between 20th September and 6th October 2026,” reads a statement on the FUFA website.
In the statement, FUFA cites lack of funds, indicating the team could not be fully supported due to the Government’s commitment to Uganda Cranes preparations for next year’s AFCON, where Uganda is a co-host alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
“Considering that the Government has prioritised the Uganda Cranes’ preparations for AFCON 2027 for FY 2026/7, it is only imperative that this decision is painfully made now than later. This affects the previous generation of the U20 (Boys). FUFA will provide further details on the participation of other national teams listed below, as more engagements with the Government are ongoing.”
It should be noted that in 2022, FUFA also withdrew the U23 team from the 2023 AFCON U23 tournament, citing a lack of funds.
