2026 World Cup: Uganda Cranes host Guinea in Kampala
The Uganda Cranes will be looking at home advantage to spur them to victory tonight as they take on Guinea at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Namboole.
Kick off will be at 7 pm local time and will see the Cranes chasing a home win that can ressurrect their 2026 World Cup Qualifying campaign.
They are currently fifth in Group G with six points. They trail joint leaders Algeria and Mozambique by six points.
Guinea are third with seven points, with Botswana also on six points and fourth but possessing a superior goal difference.
They were taken apart 3-1 by Mozambique in their most recent clash on 20 March and will be hoping to bounce back at home under the Kampala lights.
Paul Put, the experienced Uganda coach, says his players will give their best.
"It is important, we still have so many games. Everything is open, and anything can still happen," he told Pan Africa Football.
"In football, everything is possible; we just have to stay behind the team,” Put emphasized, rallying supporters to stand with the squad in this decisive moment.
Guinea come into this encounter under pressure, having been held to a shock goalless draw by Somalia last week, and Put is wary of the quality the West Africans possess.
"Guinea has quality players competing at a high level in Europe, but we also have a strong team capable of competing in our own way. I believe in my players and the support behind us,” he noted.
The two sides last met in November 2023, with Guinea edging Uganda 2-1 in Morocco.
However, history favors the Cranes at Namboole, where they last hosted Guinea in the 2014 AFCON qualifiers, securing a 2-0 victory courtesy of a Geoffrey Massa brace.
Elsewhere, there will be ten other matches across the continent as teams gear up towards the 2026 World Cup.
In Group F, which features Kenya, Burundi take on the Seychelles in Tanzania as they aim to bridge the gap between them and group leaders Ivory Coast and Gabon.
They are currently on seven points and will be hoping for three points to keep their hopes alive.
The Sudan derby will also take place in Libya with Sudan taking on South Sudan. Egypt, led by Mohammed Salah host Sierra Leone.
2026 World Cup qualifiers tonight (Kick offs local time)
Benin V South Africa 19.00
Rwanda V Lesotho 19.00
Uganda V Guinea 19.00
Nigeria V Zimbabwe 19.00
Angola V Cape Verde 19.00
Egypt V Sierra Leone 22.00
Sudan V South Sudan 22.00
Botswana V Somalia 22.00
Burundi V Seychelles 22.00
Cameroon V Libya 22.00