Uganda is expanding its pool of international players by recruiting footballers of Ugandan heritage who were born or raised abroad but are eligible to represent the Uganda Cranes.
The move is part of a wider plan by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) to strengthen the national team ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.
The government has allocated Shs1.5 billion towards the naturalisation of players with Ugandan heritage, while FUFA has engaged consultants to identify eligible players around the world.
More than 200 players have so far been identified as eligible under FIFA regulations and Ugandan law. From this list, the Cranes technical team selected 20 players for further assessment.
Nine of the players were unveiled on Sunday as the Uganda Cranes travelled to Hoima City for their AFCON 2027 qualifier against Libya.
Two of them, Nathan Asiimwe and Noble Okello, had already made their Uganda debuts in the Cranes’ match against Tunisia on Thursday.
Here is what to know about the nine players.
Nathan Asiimwe — Right-back/Winger
Club: Salford City, on loan from Charlton Athletic
Born: 29 December 2004, London, England
Asiimwe was born in London to Ugandan parents and came through the Charlton Athletic academy.
The 21-year-old can play at right-back or further forward on the wing. He recently chose to represent Uganda and has already featured for the Cranes.
Abdoulaye Sissako — Midfielder
Club: Sint-Truiden, Belgium
Born: 26 May 1998, France
Sissako plays in the Belgian Pro League and has previously represented France at Under-18 and Under-19 level.
He is of Malian and Ugandan heritage. His parents were born in Mali, while his grandmother, Sakona, was born in Kampala.
Akpan David Udoh — Goalkeeper
Club: Mosta FC, Malta
Born: 18 July 1999
Udoh has experience on the international stage, having been part of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets team that won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2015.
He is eligible to represent Uganda through his grandmother, Auma, who was born in Busia.
Dieudonne Gaucho Debohi — Defensive midfielder/Centre-back
Club: Raków Częstochowa, Poland
Born: 15 January 2001
Debohi was born to Ivorian parents from Kouibly.
His connection to Uganda comes through his maternal grandmother, Tereza Wandera, who was born in Majanji, Uganda.
He can operate both in defensive midfield and at centre-back, giving the Cranes another option in the defensive part of midfield.
Souleyman Diaby — Left-back
Club: FC Winterthur, Switzerland
Born: 8 October 1999
Diaby was born to Ivorian parents and plays as a left-back.
His Ugandan connection is through his maternal grandfather, Sulaiman Sonko, who is from Masaka.
Arnold Vula — Forward
Club: K. Beerschot VA, Belgium
Born: 26 March 1999
Vula plays in Belgium’s second division and was born to Congolese parents.
His paternal grandmother was born in Pakwach, while his Congolese grandfather also lived in the area.
The forward could provide another attacking option for the Cranes.
Kelvin Owusu Boateng — Centre-forward/Striker
Club: Austria Vienna, Austria
Born: 24 March 2000
Boateng was born to Ghanaian parents from Accra and developed his football career through the Right to Dream Academy.
One of his grandparents was born in Uganda.
Standing at 1.84 metres, the striker brings a physical presence to the Cranes’ attack and can operate as a centre-forward.
Kingdom Osayi — Goalkeeper
Club: Assyriska FF, Sweden
Born: 3 June 2004
Osayi was born to Nigerian parents and has a Ugandan connection through his maternal grandmother, who was born in Kaberamaido.
At 1.98 metres, the young goalkeeper brings considerable height to Uganda’s goalkeeping options.
Noble Okello Ayo — Defensive/Central midfielder
Club: Lexington SC, USA
Born: 20 July 2000, Canada
Okello was born and raised in Toronto to parents of Ugandan descent, with Lango roots.
The 6-foot-5 midfielder came through the Toronto FC academy and represented Canada at youth level before earning two senior caps for the country in 2020.
He is eligible to switch his international allegiance under FIFA regulations and has now joined the Uganda Cranes setup.
Okello made his Uganda debut against Tunisia on Thursday and is among the new players expected to feature in the team’s upcoming matches.
What happens next?
The nine players are being assessed as Uganda builds a larger pool of players ahead of the 2027 AFCON finals.
Some could feature in Tuesday’s qualifier against Libya, while others are expected to get opportunities during the Cranes’ two friendly matches against the Democratic Republic of Congo next month.
The heritage programme is part of FUFA’s broader strategy to strengthen the national team by combining players from the Ugandan domestic league, structured youth academies and the international pool of players eligible to represent Uganda.
