CAF names officials for Zimbabwe–Uganda U-17 tie

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the match officials for the upcoming FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture between Zimbabwe and Uganda.

The first-leg encounter is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 12 April 2026 at Ngoni Stadium in Harare. Kick-off is set for 15:00 local time in Zimbabwe, which corresponds to 16:00 East Africa Time.

South African referee Nandipha Menze will oversee the match as the centre referee. She will be supported by fellow South African Nonjabulo Nonhle Ndlela, who has been appointed first assistant referee. Margarete Gimo of Mozambique will serve as the second assistant referee, completing the on-field officiating team.

CAF has also designated Hloniphile Msezane as the fourth official for the tie, while Teresa Ouko Calleb from Kenya will act as the match commissioner. Namibia’s Fransiska Katjaimo has been assigned the role of referee assessor.

The match represents the opening leg of the first round of qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Both teams are aiming to secure progression in the competition, with a place at the tournament in Morocco at stake.

Uganda’s national U-17 women’s team, known as the Teen Cranes, have been preparing for the fixture with a training camp that began on 30 March 2026. The squad has been working under head coach Sheryl Ulanda Botes at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru as they gear up for the away fixture.

The Ugandan side will be seeking to secure a favourable result in Harare before returning home for the decisive second leg. That return fixture is scheduled for 18 April 2026 at the FUFA Stadium in Kadiba.

Zimbabwe, playing on home soil in the first leg, will be looking to capitalise on home advantage as they begin their qualification campaign. With both teams targeting a spot at the global tournament later this year, the tie is expected to be closely contested.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is set to be held in Morocco in October 2026, bringing together top youth teams from across the world. For both Zimbabwe and Uganda, success in this preliminary round is a crucial step towards reaching the tournament.

Andrews Sefa Bamfo

Andrews Sefa Bamfo is a promising young football writer and reporter, recognised as one of the rising talents in African football journalism. He specialises in match reporting, features and on-ground coverage, bringing fresh perspective and energy to the industry.He is educated at the University of Ghana and has gained valuable experience working with one of Ghana’s leading media organisations, TV3, where he developed his skills in both television reporting and football journalism.Andrews’ talent and potential were further recognised when he was selected for the prestigious CAF Young Reporters Programme, where he received advanced media training in partnership with CANAL+. This exposure has helped shape his understanding of modern sports journalism and storytelling.Since then, he has continued to grow in the field and is widely regarded as one of the emerging voices in African football media. He is currently a Staff Writer at African.Football, contributing to the platform’s coverage with insightful reports and engaging content for a global audience.

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