The Cranes will head into the 35th edition of the AFCON in the North African nation, drawn in a challenging group alongside Nigeria, Tunisia and regional rivals Tanzania.
Uganda have qualified for the tournament just eight times in their history, and their most memorable run came in 1978 when they reached the final. The Cranes last qualified for AFCON in Egypt 2019 after topping Group L of the qualifying phase with 13 points.
Uganda was placed in group A alongside hosts Egypt, DR Congo and Zimbabwe, garnering four points to advance to the round of 16, where they were eliminated by Senegal.
Uche Ikpeazu to lead Uganda in Morocco
The 69-year-old Put has named an experienced squad that will be led by Uche Ikpeazu, a forward for Scottish Championship club St Johnstone.
Ikpeazu was first called up to the Uganda squad by the then head coach Johnathan McKinstry for two 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in March 2020, but the games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda.
McKinstry’s successor, Milutin Sredojevic, attempted to call him up in April 2022, but Ikpeazu wanted to stay in Wales and try and fight for his place in the Cardiff City team. He was called up again in May 2024. Ikpeazu made his full international debut on September 5, 2025, appearing as a substitute in a 4-0 win against Mozambique.
Another inclusion in the squad is forward Travis Mutyaba of Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 club CS Sfaxien and formerly played for French Championnat National 2 club Bordeaux. Youngster James Bogere, who featured for Uganda Cubs at the just-concluded FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar, has been summoned.
Despite retiring last season before rescinding his decision to return, Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango has also made the cut to Morocco.
The 40-year-old represented Uganda at the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and captained them until his international retirement in 2021. After four years in retirement, Onyango returned to the national team in August 2025 as Uganda prepared for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mozambique and Somalia.
Onyango helped the Cranes qualify for the 2017 AFCON by conceding only two goals in six matches in their qualifying group. He made his first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations in the 31st edition, which was hosted by Gabon in 2017.
Uganda to pitch camp in Morocco
According to the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA), Uganda will depart for Morocco aboard a Qatar Airways flight, where they will pitch camp for the next 11 days and will play two friendly matches.
The team’s camp will be based in Casablanca. The statement read in part: “On Sunday, December 7th, the team will depart Entebbe Airport at 17:30 local time aboard Qatar Airways flight QR1384 to Casablanca, Morocco, to begin the AFCON 2025 preparatory camp.
“The camp will run for 11 days, and the team will play two trial matches.”
In a recent interview, Put remained confident that Uganda have what it takes to reach the knockout stages despite the pedigree of the opponents they will face.
On facing the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Put told CAFOnline.com: “Nigeria: They are a perennial powerhouse. There are threats everywhere from their squad, with top talent and European experience.
“Tunisia: They are highly organised, technical, tactically astute. They are hard to break down, but we will see. Tanzania: For our neighbours Tanzania, they are a good mix of energy and familiarity - regional derbies are never easy.
“We will respect all of them, but we are not intimidated. We will give a good account of ourselves.”
On what Uganda wants to achieve in Morocco, he said: “Ideally, we want to advance. But first, we demand that our performances reflect modern football: balance, full engagement in all phases, and consistency. If we can win respect among African heavyweights and secure knockout qualification, that’s a job well done.”
Uganda will begin their campaign against the Carthage Eagles at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on December 23, entertain Uganda at Al Medina Stadium on December 27th, before concluding their group matches against Nigeria on December 30 at Fez Stadium.
