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Cranes prepare for CHAN 2024 with high hopes and home support, aiming to finally surpass their past group stage exits.
Counting days is what Ugandan football fans are doing as the country gears up to host the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN), kicking off August 2 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The Cranes, Uganda’s national team made up of home-based players, are preparing for a record-extending seventh straight CHAN appearance, a feat only matched by tournament stalwarts DR Congo.
But for all their consistency in qualifying, Uganda have never gone past the group stage — a sobering statistic that has left fans and analysts calling for a long-overdue breakthrough.
“This is our time,” said co-coach Morley Byekwaso, who is leading the Cranes alongside Fred Muhumuza.
“We’ve been close before, but now with the tournament coming home and the backing of our fans, there are no excuses. We must deliver.”
Despite being regional heavyweights, Uganda's CHAN record reads more like a cautionary tale than a success story: six group stage exits, 13 goals scored, and 27 conceded across all appearances from 2011 to 2022.
But this year, there’s hope — and pressure. Uganda are one of the four co-hosts, and all their Group C matches will be staged at the fully refurbished Mandela National Stadium in Namboole, Kampala.
The group includes South Africa, Algeria, Niger, and Guinea — all formidable opponents, but none that the Cranes can afford to fear on home soil.
“We are not just participating this time,” declared midfielder Shafik Kagimu, one of the senior players in the provisional 41-man squad announced last weekend.
“This is about making history. Uganda deserves more than just appearances.”
Non-residential training kicked off Monday at Luzira Prisons Grounds, and the mood in camp is one of serious intent.
The coaches are racing against time to fine-tune combinations and instill belief in a squad that’s hungry to change the narrative.
“Our strength is in our unity,” said Muhumuza.
“We may not have the stars Morocco or Senegal boast of, but what we do have is chemistry, discipline, and the dream of turning Namboole into a fortress.”
While Uganda’s path in Group C is steep, it is far from the dreaded Group A, where hosts Kenya will make their debut appearance against the likes of Morocco, DR Congo, Angola, and Zambia — all teams with deep CHAN pedigree. Meanwhile, Tanzania return for only their third CHAN shot in Group B, which includes Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Mauritania, and Central African Republic.
The Cranes, though, are keen to rise above both regional and continental expectations.
The third-place playoff is scheduled for Namboole, offering Uganda a golden opportunity for redemption in front of their home fans — but only if they can navigate past their group.
“Every training session, every moment now matters,” added Byekwaso. “This tournament is about pride, legacy, and finally proving that we are more than just qualifiers.”
The CHAN 2025 final is set for August 30 at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, and if Uganda are to make that historic leap, the journey must start with belief, strategy, and results — right from Day 1.
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