The fixture will be the third meeting between the two nations in the history of the AFCON tournament. The first meeting between the two sides was in 1962 when they faced off in the third-place play-off.
Tunisia emerged winners to claim the bronze medal after registering a 3-0 win. The two teams met again in the group stage of the 1978 edition, and the Carthage Eagles once again ran away winners following a 3-1 win.
Tunisia's biggest win over Uganda was a 6-0 home victory in 2000 AFCON qualifying in 1999. Uganda, under coach Paul Put, will be returning to AFCON, having last featured during the 2019 edition held in Egypt.
Tunisia will make 22nd AFCON appearance
During the Egypt edition, the Cranes qualified after topping Group L of the qualifying phase with 13 points. Uganda was placed in Group A alongside hosts Egypt, DR Congo and Zimbabwe, and they garnered four points to advance to the Round of 16, where they were eliminated by Senegal after a 1-0 defeat.
In the 2021 edition held in Cameroon, Uganda missed out on qualifying for a third consecutive time.
Placed in Group B of the qualifying campaign alongside Burkina Faso, Malawi and South Sudan, Uganda finished third with eight points behind leaders Burkina Faso (12 points) and second-placed Malawi (10 points), with South Sudan finishing at the bottom (three points), all from six matches played.
The Carthage Eagles, who won the AFCON in 2024 and finished as runners-up in 1965 and 1996, will make their 22nd appearance and their 17th in succession. Uganda, whose best finish came in 1978 when they were runners-up, losing the final 2-0 to Ghana, will be making their eighth appearance and first since 2019.
Bogere set to make history for Uganda
Uganda U17 forward James Bogere is on the verge of opening a new chapter in his fast-rising career after making the final squad. The 17-year-old has been one of the most reliable scorers for the Uganda Cubs, finding the net 14 times in 15 matches at U17 level.
His goals came across several major competitions: the CAF U17 AFCON – CECAFA Qualifiers hosted in Uganda in 2024, the CAF U17 AFCON in Morocco in March 2025, the pre-U17 World Cup friendly matches during the Dubai Youth Challenge in October 2025, and the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar in November 2025.
The young striker made the final squad alongside experienced forwards such as Steven Mukwala, Denis Omedi, Rogers Mato, Uchechukwu Ikpeazu, Jude Ssemugabi, Ivan Ahimbisibwe, Shafik Nana Kwikiriza, Lorenzen Melvyn and Reagan Mpande.
After rescinding his decision to retire, veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango is among the players fighting for a starting role between the sticks.
Put excited to lead Uganda at AFCON
“I am excited to be heading to my fifth AFCON with the Uganda Cranes,” Put told Uganda FA’s official website.
“It is a proud moment, especially considering the doubts we faced at the start. The team’s performance has been impressive, and we have managed to entertain the fans with our style of play. Winning the crowd is key, and the players have shown commitment and passion.”
He added: “Bringing in new players at the right time and giving them opportunities is crucial. It is not about favouritism but about selecting the best team. This is a chance for players to gain experience, prove themselves and help us identify areas for improvement.”
Uganda have lost their opening match in five of their seven previous AFCON appearances, and progressed beyond the group stage only twice, in 1978 and 2019.
After playing Tunisia, Uganda will come up against Tanzania, before facing Nigeria, while Tunisia will face the Super Eagles, and conclude their group matches against Tanzania on Tuesday, December 30th.
