Uganda’s national team touched down in Casablanca, Morocco, on Sunday night to begin their final training camp for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with Nigeria waiting in a formidable Group C. The Cranes—led by Belgian coach Paul Put—flew out of Entebbe on Qatar Airways flight QR1384, with 17 players already in tow. A further 13 are set to link up directly from their European clubs.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) dispatched a full delegation, including Put, assistant Fred Muhumuza, 15 additional technical staff members, and 17 officials. The squad will base their preparations at the prestigious Mohammed VI Football Complex, the same state-of-the-art facility used by Morocco ahead of their historic run to the 2022 World Cup semi-final. Two friendly matches are scheduled during the camp, though the opponents have yet to be officially confirmed.
Coach Paul Put named a 30-man provisional list last week, and the call-ups signal a blend of experience and fresh ambition. Veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango (37, Mamelodi Sundowns) returns to anchor the defence, while in-form striker Mato Rogers (15 goals in 17 games for FK Vardar) bolsters the attack. The squad also sees the return of impactful midfielders Baba Alhassan and Melvyn Lorenzen following impressive performances in November’s friendlies. Adding to the excitement is a first senior call-up for teenage sensation James Bogere, who is fresh from starring at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
While CAF regulations permit only two cuts from the provisional 30-man list, Put has indicated he may trim further based on form and fitness before the final 28-man squads are submitted by the December 20 deadline, one day before the tournament opens.
Uganda finds itself in a challenging Group C, widely regarded as the tournament’s toughest. They open their campaign against Tunisia on December 23, face perennial powerhouse Nigeria on December 27, and conclude the group stage against Tanzania on December 30. Put is approaching the task with respect but no fear, particularly regarding the Super Eagles.
“Nigeria are a perennial powerhouse. There are threats everywhere from their squad, with top talent and European experience. We will respect all of them, but we are not intimidated. We will give a good account of ourselves,” Put told CAFOnline.com.
This marks Uganda’s eighth AFCON appearance and their first since 2019. Their best performance remains a runner-up finish to Ghana in 1978. The Cranes will draw confidence from a 2-0 friendly victory over Nigeria in 2019, though the Super Eagles claimed narrow 1-0 wins in both encounters during the 2025 AFCON qualifying phase.
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