Ghanaian coach Laryea Kingston became the first to qualify Uganda’s U17 national team for a major international event.
The former Ghana U17 coach qualified Uganda’s U17 team for the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations after a successful run in the CECAFA U17 Qualifiers, thereby hitting the milestone.
Kingston’s team secured a 3-0 win against Ethiopia in the semi-finals, assuring Uganda’s place in Morocco. His impressive start continued with this qualification, adding to earlier wins such as 4-0 over Burundi and 9-0 over Sudan.
He has rapidly and completely transformed the Ugandan youth setup. Kingston brought a new style, full of energy and tactics, to the Uganda’s Youth Teams, which his team loves. His influence is evident in the qualification results: 17 goals for, 2 against.
The achievement represents significant progress for Ugandan youth football. Kingston sees this as a proud moment in his coaching career. People in Uganda and Ghana have admired him, as they followed his progress closely.
Uganda will now be a part of the tournament with renewed confidence — thanks to a Ghanaian coach who has made history and is influencing the future of East African youth football.