The government of Uganda has granted the release of funds for the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) to work on the naturalisation of players with Ugandan roots abroad.
According to FUFA president Moses Magogo the funds will enable FUFA to get players who have an attachment with Uganda to feature for the national team
FUFA will receive the proposed a budget of US$ 400, 000 (UGX 1.5 billion) to naturalize foreign-born players with Ugandan heritage, aiming to strengthen national teams for 2027 competitions. This initiative focuses on identifying talent with Ugandan roots, rather than solely paying for foreign representation, as part of efforts to improve team performance.
Magogo confirmed the development while appearing on CBS FM Akaati Kebyemizannyo show on Wednesday, April 1st, 2026.
“I want to confirm that we have had engagements with Government for naturalisation of players who have an attachment with Uganda but have been raised in Europe and elsewhere. The money we asked for is 1.5 billion, and that will be given to us,” he stated.
Magogo added that naturalization of players helps identify quality players just like countries like Africa’s top footballing countries such as Senegal and Morocco have done.
“When we told the public we want this money, there was a lot of discontent, but I want to tell you that this is what other countries like Morocco, Senegal and others are doing. If you look at our National Team currently, you can see that there are several players like Elio Capradossi who have agreed to play for Uganda, and you can see that their quality is better.”
Capradossi is a former youth international for Italy, who plays as a centre-back for Liga I club Universitatea Cluj in Romania, born in Kampala, Uganda to an Italian father and a DR Congolese mother, and moved to Italy at the age of two.
The FUFA President also revealed that the process has been ongoing and there are several players they are talking to.
Talent identification has been spearheaded by Uganda’s ex-international Mathias Ndawula, who has been actively scouting and engaging potential players across Europe with Ugandan heritage.
Among the players being targeted is Divine Mukasa who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for EFL Championship club Leicester City, on loan from Premier League club Manchester City who represented the England national team at youth level at the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
Magogo expressed optimism that the efforts will soon bear fruit, hinting that new additions could be unveiled as early as the upcoming international window in June, marking a significant step in reshaping the future competitiveness of the Cranes.
