Uganda Names 28-Man Squad for AFCON Qualifiers
Paul Put has wasted no time stamping his authority on the Uganda Cranes. For a September–October window packed with four games in 16 days, the Belgian has gone big: 28 players, bold calls, and a clear message – standards are non-negotiable.
Uganda open their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign away to Tunisia on September 24, then host Libya on September 29. Once the competitive dust settles, DR Congo await in back-to-back friendlies on October 2 and 5, a double-header designed to harden the group for what lies ahead.
Onyango returns to anchor a reshaped core
At the heart of the squad announcement sits a familiar name: Denis Onyango. The veteran Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper, long a symbol of the Cranes’ resilience, headlines a goalkeeping unit completed by David Lukwago of SC Villa and NEC FC’s Hannington Ssebwalunyo.
Behind them, Put has gone for a blend of overseas steel and domestic grit. The defensive list stretches from Burton Albion’s Toby Sibbick and Salford City’s Nathan Asiimwe to CS Constantine’s Rogers Torach and Slovan Liberec left-back Aziz Kayondo. Herbert Achayi (KCCA FC), Herbert Bockhorn (FC Magdeburg), Geofrey Lubanga Kene (SC Villa), Hillary Mukundane (Vipers SC) and Gavin Kizito (Nairobi United) round off a back line with options in every role.
This is not a squad built on nostalgia. It is built on legs, form and flexibility.
Midfield rebuilt on form, not reputation
Put’s midfield selection underlines that point. Baba Alhassan of Mardin 1996 Spor, Noble Okello from Lexington SC and Kenneth Semakula of Al Ittihad Alexandria give the coach a spine that can both screen and play. Dunfermline FC’s Allan Oyirwoth and Nairobi United’s Joseph Seremba add energy and creativity in the middle third.
No sentimental picks. No passengers. Put has been explicit: current form, fitness and commitment have driven his choices for what he calls a fiercely competitive international window.
Firepower with an edge – and one mystery name
Up front, the Cranes will carry a striking unit scattered across leagues and continents, but united by one expectation: goals.
James Bogere (AGF), Travis Mutyaba (CS Sfaxien), Denis Omedi (Gor Mahia), Rogers Mato (Hearts) and Hassan Mubiru (Azam) headline a forward group with pace and movement. Sadam Masereka (Colorado Springs Switchbacks), Steven Mukwala (Al Nasr), Richard Basangwa (NEC FC) and Frank Ssebufu (SC Villa) deepen the attacking pool.
One name, though, remains incomplete. In FUFA’s announcement, a forward from AS FAR in Morocco is listed only by club, his identity not yet specified. The detail may be missing, but the intention is clear: Put is casting the net wide and rewarding those performing abroad.
Big absentees and a ruthless message
The most striking part of the list may be those who are not on it.
Jordan Obita and Elio Capradossi are ruled out through injury. Captain Khalid Aucho, goalkeeper Salim Jamal, forward Uche Ikpeazu, and outfielders John Paul Dembe, Bobosi Byaruhanga and Jude Ssemugabi are also absent.
Put has laid out his reasoning. Some are without clubs. Others have only just completed transfers and lack minutes. A few are working back from long-term injuries and have not yet hit full match fitness.
There is no door slammed shut, though. The coach has been clear that the pathway back remains open once those players regain rhythm and conditioning. For now, they watch as others seize the opportunity.
Four games, one statement to make
The international window runs from September 21 to October 6. In that span, Uganda will be tested in hostile North African conditions against Tunisia, under home pressure against Libya, and then tactically stretched by DR Congo in friendlies that will feel anything but friendly for players fighting to keep their places.
For Put, this is more than just the start of an AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. It is the first real audit of his new era, played out over four games that will reveal who can carry Uganda’s shirt when the stakes rise and the legs tire.
