Head Coach of the Black Princesses, Charles Sampson, has commended his team for the impressive and resilient performance that secured their qualification for the forthcoming 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
He expressed pride in the kind of performance the team exhibited against their Ugandan counterparts in Kampala, which delivered the crucial result that sent them to the biennial tournament.
“This has been our goal from day one. Since January last year, our goal was to qualify for the World Cup, and we were going step by step. When we came to Uganda, our plan was to increase our margin, and that’s why we went on the offensive because we knew Uganda would do the same. Unfortunately, they got the goal that could have taken them through, but the girls showed a lot of character, a lot of resilience, and willingness beyond the normal.
“And I’m so, so proud of them, proud of the team, for how they have been able to qualify. This is one of the things that makes me say how we qualified is what I’m most impressed with. This group has been tested in so many different ways. To come out of this with a red card, down to 10 players, and still show this sort of resilience and character to qualify – words cannot describe how I feel about the group,” the coach said.
He added that he feels really good about the team spirit in fighting back when the going gets tough.
“I feel really good. One thing about us is we never give up. In our game, when you score us one, there’s still hope for us to do even more. That never-give-up spirit has been our strength, and it has helped us win and qualify for the World Cup.”
The FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to be played in Poland from September 5-27, 2026.
