Sports 2 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Hippos Face Sudan, Djibouti in U-20 Afcon Qualifiers
Uganda's U-20 national team, the Hippos, have been drawn into Group B alongside Sudan and Djibouti for the upcoming 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations - Cecafa qualifiers. The team, currently in camp, aims to advance from the group stage and secure a spot in the continental finals. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/soccer/hippos-handed-sudan-djibouti-test-in-u-20-afcon-qualifiers-5581304
Uganda’s U-20 men’s national team, known as the Hippos, will face Sudan and Djibouti in Group B of the 2027 Caf U-20 Africa Cup of Nations - Cecafa qualifiers. The draw, held in Rwanda, has placed nine teams into three groups for the tournament set to take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from September 15th to 25th.
Head coach Kingston Laryea acknowledged the draw, emphasizing the need for Uganda to focus on its own team development rather than underestimating opponents. “We are now building a new team, so we focus on ourselves,” Laryea stated. “The main aim is to go out of the group stage, and then we see the team that we are going to meet. The most important thing is to qualify for the Afcon.”
The Hippos began preparations last week with a provisional squad at the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru. The tournament’s format sees the top team from each group, along with the best second-placed side, advancing to the semi-finals. The two finalists will earn berths in the 2027 U-20 Afcon finals, which will be hosted in Ghana.
This tournament also serves as a pathway to the 2027 Fifa U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, with the four semi-finalists from the U-20 Afcon securing qualification. Tanzania, the defending champions from the 2024 edition, headline Group A, while Group C features South Sudan, Kenya, and Burundi.