The Uganda Cranes’ troubled June international window has suffered another setback after their friendly match against Zanzibar was cancelled because of government health precautionary measures.
The match had been scheduled for June 11 at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar and was expected to give head coach Paul Put another chance to assess his squad ahead of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) confirmed the cancellation after receiving communication from the Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF), which said the decision followed directives from government authorities.
“The decision was beyond our control. We value our friendship and remain committed to rescheduling the match soon,” ZFF said in a statement.
The cancellation adds to a frustrating period for the national team. Earlier this month, Uganda’s planned friendlies against Tanzania and Madagascar in Morocco were also called off despite the Cranes already being in Marrakech for a training camp.
Uganda had been due to face Tanzania on June 5 and Madagascar on June 8 as part of preparations for the AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifying campaign. However, both matches were cancelled because of sanitary and public health concerns communicated by the designated match agents.
Those cancellations denied Put a valuable opportunity to evaluate a squad that included both experienced players and emerging talents.
The Zanzibar fixture was expected to provide much-needed match practice while also strengthening football ties between the two nations during FUFA’s centenary celebrations.
Instead, it became the third Uganda fixture to be called off during the June FIFA international window.
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With matches against Tanzania, Madagascar and Zanzibar all cancelled, the Cranes leave the international break without playing a single game, an unwelcome situation as preparations continue for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers later this year.
