The Ugandan delegation for the 2023 ISF World Schools Cup football has arrived safely in Morocco after a grueling journey from Entebbe via Dubai, finally reaching Rabat, where all the teams are based. The delegation, consisting of players and officials, expressed relief and excitement upon their safe arrival in Morocco.
After a 10-hour stopover in Dubai, the team continued its journey to Casablanca, and from there, they took an hour-long road bus to Rabat. Patrick Okanya, the deputy head of the delegation, expressed gratitude for the safe travel and stated, “We thank God that we managed to travel well. All the players and officials on the team are safe. We are ready for action.”
Deputy Head of Delegation and President Emeritus Patrick Okanya with USSSA President at the International University of Rabat
Uganda is represented by three teams in the tournament: Kibuli S.S and Amus College (Boys) and St Noa Girls School Zzana (Girls). The St Noa Girls will face the host team, Morocco, in the official opening duel on Sunday night (10 PM local time) at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat.
St. Noah Girls
Jimmy Mukubya, the head coach of St Noa Girls School, is confident about leading her players and promises a brave performance. “We travelled well. There is limited time for recovery, but we promise to display a great performance. The girls (players) are mentally and physically ready,” Mukubya stated.
Team captain Sarah Babirye believes the tournament will provide valuable exposure for the players, motivating them to double their efforts. “The entire world is watching. We have to play gallantly and win. From the goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, and strikers, we are all ready,” Babirye, a midfielder in S6, affirmed.
In their respective groups, St Noa Girls will compete against China and England, while Kibuli S.S and Amus College will battle it out in the boys’ category. Uganda 2 (Amus College) is in group A alongside China 2, Nepal, and France, while Kibuli Secondary School (Uganda 1) is in group E alongside Qatar and China 1.
Amus college
The tournament boasts an impressive scale, with 1200 participants from 28 countries, including 29 boys’ teams and 18 girls’ teams. Assisting in the day-to-day operations are over 400 volunteers. Throughout the duration of the tournament, 20 sports fields (13 synthetic and 7 natural) will be utilized.
Kibuli SS Team
The ISF World Schools Cup is jointly organized by the International Schools Federation (ISF) in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco (Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports), the Federation of Royal Morocco Football (FRMF), and the Federation of Royal Morocco Schools Sports (FRMSS).
As the Ugandan teams gear up to compete against some of the best schools from around the world, fans back home eagerly await their performances, hoping for a memorable and successful campaign for Team Uganda in the 2023 ISF World Schools Cup.
