Former Ghana midfielder Laryea Kingston says the support and investment provided by the Uganda Football Federation (FUFA) have been central to the Cubs’ progress as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
Kingston has overseen two significant achievements for Uganda in 2026. The team qualified for the World Cup in Qatar before winning the CECAFA U-17 Championship and securing a place at next year’s continental tournament.
Uganda earned their World Cup qualification in May, defeating Ghana’s Black Starlets 8-7 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in their play-off at the U-17 AFCON in Morocco.
Their latest success came on Monday, October 19, 2026, when the Cubs beat Somalia 6-5 in a shootout following a goalless final in Kigali, Rwanda.
Kingston believes the achievements have been shaped by more than the players’ performances, highlighting the environment created by FUFA.
“We all know that every success, you need a friendly environment, and Uganda have provided a very good friendly environment for me,” he said.
The former Black Stars midfielder said his appointment was intended to support the development of Ugandan football as well as the national youth teams. FUFA also wanted him to help improve the country’s coaches.
He credited the federation for building a strong technical team around him, including former Uganda players who have moved into coaching.
“The first thing they did was they put very good people around me. With the U-17s, they gave me an evergreen backroom staff,” Kingston said.
“My first assistant, my second assistant, all of them are legends of Ugandan football, and they have entered into coaching and are willing to learn and make sure we improve each other’s qualities.”
Kingston said the arrangement had enabled him to contribute his own experience while learning from coaches with a detailed understanding of Uganda’s football culture. He added that the setup was also helping local coaches develop through their work with the national youth teams.
Although he accepted that difficulties remained, Kingston said the staff had maintained a united approach.
“Without saying everything is perfect, we all know there are challenges sometimes, but we’ve so far managed it very well,” he added.
“Going forward, we’re looking forward to maintaining the same consistency to make sure everyone is on the same page.”
He also praised FUFA president Moses Magogo for ensuring that suitable staff were available across both the U-17 and U-20 teams.
“I think the president did a very good job by giving me the right people to work with, both the U-17s and the U-20s,” he said.
Uganda’s next challenge is the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, which runs from November 19 to December 13, 2026. The Cubs will appear at the tournament for a second successive time after qualifying for the 2025 edition.
They have been placed in Group B with Korea Republic, Ecuador and New Caledonia. Their qualification for the 2027 U-17 AFCON also keeps open a route to another FIFA U-17 World Cup, increasing the importance of their development over the coming months.
