By Frank Kamuntu
Kampala: The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) has Wednesday confirmed that there will be a special chartered flight aboard Uganda Airlines to Burkina Faso as Uganda Cranes kick off the Total 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
While launching a campaign code named ‘366 Back to Namboole with Cranes’, FUFA Deputy CEO in charge of Football, Decolas Kiiza, made the communication during a presser held today, which was graced by Acting FUFA President Justus Mugisha, Uganda Cranes Head coach Jonathan McKinstry, Ag. FUFA 1st Vice President Darius Mugoye, and Chris Kalibala, the FUFA Technical Development Committee Chairperson.
Kiza said that “In order to ease the means of transport, FUFA has chartered a flight for Uganda Cranes aboard Uganda Airlines Bombardier, departing Entebbe International Airport on November 12, 2019 and will return on November 14, 2019 after the game. 30 Airtickets have been reserved for the fans with each costing USD1500.”
The preparations are to ensure that Uganda Cranes arrive in Ouagadougou on November 13, 2019 by 10:00PM for the Burkina Faso game, which will follow the game against Malawi on November 17, 2019 at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
The campaign code-name ‘366 Back to Namboole With Cranes’ was derived from the date when Uganda Cranes last played against Cape Verde on November 17, 2018 when Patrick Henry Kaddu scored to confirm Uganda’s berth at AFCON 2019 in Egypt.
Uganda Cranes head coach Jonathan McKinstry welcomed the idea of the chartered flight and said that will help the team travel to West Africa and return in time for the home match against Malawi without any hurdles.
McKinstry eyes strong start:
Uganda Cranes head coach Jonathan McKinstry anticipates a good start for the team away team against Burkina Faso.
“We are now beginning the AFCON 2021 qualification campaign. I have been around three weeks now but have been to gather some information about the players and our opponents including an international friendly match away to Ethiopia. Traveling to Ouagagadou with a chartered flight by federation is a very great stride. This will be great assistance to travel to West Africa. It is expected to a very difficult game for us but Uganda Cranes away record has improved” McKinstry noted.
Uganda Cranes is in group B alongside Burkina Faso, Malawi and South Sudan.
For the group stages in the qualifiers, the top two placed countries per group (A to L) will make it to AFCON 2021 in Cameroon.
Full Groups:
- A: Mali, Guinea, Namibia, Liberia
- B: Burkina Faso, Uganda, Malawi, South Sudan
- C: Ghana, South Africa, Sudan, Mauritius
- D: Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Angola, The Gambia
- E: Morocco, Mauritania, Central African Republic, Burundi
- F: Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Rwanda, Mozambique
- G: Egypt, Kenya, Togo, Comoros Islands,
- H: Algeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana
- I: Senegal, Congo, Guinea Bissau, Eswatini
- J: Tunisia, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania
- K: Cote D’Ivoire, Niger, Madagascar, Ethiopia
- L: Nigeria, Benin, Sierra Leone, Lesotho
