Can the Cranes qualify for World Cup 2026?

Even though most of the football pundits and the online betting sites are not too confident of Uganda taking its place in the US, Canada, and Mexico in two years’ time, there is a feeling that the squad is improving and that this qualification campaign gives the Cranes a better chance of making it to the finals than there has ever been.

We will take a look at the current situation for the national side, as well as what the latest qualifying results tell us about Uganda’s chances. Making it to World Cup 2026 will not be easy but all Cranes fans dream of future success and we want to find out how that might happen.

Latest Results

With the Cranes returning to the Mandela National Stadium for the first time in five years, Ugandan fans eagerly anticipated the continuation of the World Cup qualifying campaign and turned up in droves at the start of June. Over 40,000 crammed inside the cathedral of Ugandan football to see their heroes take on Botswana.

In a quirk of fate, Botswana was the opponent last time the Cranes played in the stadium and the home side looked impressive from the start. Coach Paul Put had surprised many by not including any players currently plying their trade in Kenya. But the mostly home-based squad of youngsters performed brilliantly, eventually taking all three points thanks to a 74th minute winner from Muhammad Shaban.

That victory set things up nicely for another home game – in front of a packed out crowd – just three days later. Algeria was the more dangerous opponent on that occasion and the Cranes sent the fans into ecstasy by taking the lead against the Desert Foxes in the first half.

Unfortunately, Algeria came out aggressively in the second half, scoring almost straight from the kick-off. Another goal with just over half an hour to go decided the match and left Uganda on six points after four games.

Qualifying Campaign

After beginning the World Cup qualifying campaign last November with a narrow defeat away to Guinea and an expected win against Somalia at home, there was some hope that Uganda might be able to make an impression on Group G. The victory over Botswana further excited the fans, although the defeat to Algeria has now tempered some expectations.

Even though there are more World Cup finals places open to African teams than ever before, only one team from each group is automatically guaranteed to be in the US, Canada, and Mexico in 2026. With both Algeria and Guinea higher in FIFA’s rankings than Uganda, even a second-place finish would be an achievement.

That runners-up spot would give Uganda a possible chance of entering the second stage, which would then finish with the prospect of an inter-confederation playoff. All that is a very long-winded way of making it to the finals, so the odds are still very much against the Cranes qualifying for the tournament.

The Cranes now face a wait until March for the next qualifying games, with a trip to Mozambique and a tough home against Guinea on the schedule. If some favorable results are achieved there, the players will go into four games near the end of the year – including an away game in Algeria – with their destiny still, hopefully, in their hands.

New Players

Aside from Put’s omission of any of the Kenyan-based players, a highly controversial move given the relative strength of its national league, the biggest talking point from his squad selection was the introduction of Elio Capradossi. Born in Kampala to a Ugandan mother and an Italian father, the defender has played his entire career in his adopted country, starting off as a youth player with Roma.

That kind of pedigree bodes well for the Cranes now, with Capradossi most recently playing in the second tier with Lecco after spells with Cagliari, Spezia, and SPAL. His composed touch stood out against both Botswana and Algeria and it is very exciting that a player of his stature has decided to transfer his allegiances to his home country after playing for Italy through the age groups.

With so many countries in Africa now trawling Europe and the rest of the world for new players who qualify through family, this could be a sign that Put is looking to strengthen the Cranes with players of Ugandan heritage currently playing elsewhere too.

The Cranes do seem to be improving pulse uganda

Future Goals

Even if Uganda fails to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals, there is some hope that there will be bright days ahead for the Cranes. With a coach that took Burkina Faso to the final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Uganda seems poised to make the leap into the next level of African football.

The draw for the AFCON 2025 qualifying groups is yet to be made but Uganda finds itself in pot 2, meaning that there will be only one higher-ranked team to face. With two teams going through to the finals in Morocco, there is every possibility that Cranes fans will be able to cheer on their team in that major tournament for the first time since 2019.

There is still a lot of work to be done – and some improvement made against the better sides in particular. But things are looking up for the Cranes and the fans have every right to be excited.