On Tuesday, all eyes in African football will be on the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, Morocco, as the Tunisian national team kicks off its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a crucial match against Uganda in the first round of Group B. This match is of paramount importance to the Carthage Eagles, who are seeking a strong start to pave their way to the later stages of the tournament, which is being held on Arab soil, giving them the advantage of home support and familiar weather conditions.
The Tunisian national team enters this tournament with its sights set on a second continental title, following its sole triumph on home soil in 2004. The Tunisian players are eager to erase the lackluster image they presented in the last edition in Ivory Coast, where they were eliminated in the first round, in addition to their disappointing exit from the Arab Cup. Despite qualifying second in their group behind Comoros, the "Eagles of Carthage" have regained much of their composure and footballing prestige, relying on years of experience and their long-standing tradition in the tournament, where they have consistently reached at least the quarterfinals in most previous editions, with the exception of their recent setback.
In preparation for the tournament, coach Sami Trabelsi downplayed the criticism he faced after participating in the Arab Cup in Doha, emphasizing that that chapter was closed and that his focus was entirely on the African competition. Trabelsi cited the Algerian scenario, where the Desert Warriors won the Arab Cup but then exited the Africa Cup of Nations early, to illustrate that each tournament has its own circumstances and dynamics. He stressed that the immediate goal is to successfully advance from the group stage, noting that the opening match is key to qualification, especially since the second match will be a tough encounter against the Nigerian giants, making the three points against Uganda absolutely essential.
On the other hand, the Ugandan national team is in a precarious situation, beset by administrative and financial crises that could derail their hopes before the tournament even begins. Reports from the Cranes' camp indicate a highly tense atmosphere following the players' decision to boycott training last Saturday in protest against the local federation's failure to pay their qualification bonuses. The players demanded an increase in the bonuses to €6,000 per player, a request met with refusal and stalling tactics by officials. This prompted seven players to inform coach Paul Put of their collective boycott, leading to the cancellation of the training session.
This crisis is not unprecedented in the history of the Ugandan national team. History repeats itself, as seen in the 2019 World Cup in Egypt, when players boycotted training before their Round of 16 match against Senegal due to similar financial reasons. Observers fear that this administrative tension and the resulting absence from training will negatively impact the team's physical and mental readiness just 72 hours before their match against Tunisia, especially given their tough group which also includes Nigeria and Tanzania. This makes the Ugandans' task in Rabat precarious against a determined Tunisian side eager to win.
