Ronald Lusulire
December 22, 2025
20 hours ago
Travis Mutyaba: A journey across CAF’s football pyramid
Photo: FUFA Media
Travis Mutyaba: A journey across CAF’s football pyramid
Few players arrive at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a story as complete or as rare as Travis Mutyaba.
Watch Travis Mutyaba’s goal against Algeria at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier.
Dont miss Mutyaba in action at Namboole on 25th March, 2025.
Early Bird tickets are selling now on @MTNMoMoGroup.#UgandaCranes | #UGAGUI pic.twitter.com/oI4OunkqXp— FUFA (@OfficialFUFA) March 15, 2025
At only 20 years old, the Uganda Cranes attacker becomes the only player in Uganda’s AFCON squad to have progressed through every CAF national competition pathway: U-17 qualification, U-20 AFCON, the African Nations Championship (CHAN) and now the senior Africa Cup of Nations.
U-17 AFCON Qualification: The Journey Begins (2021)
Mutyaba’s AFCON pathway began in 2021 when he was part of the Uganda U-17 team that qualified for the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.
The achievement marked an important milestone for both player and country.
Although the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mutyaba’s involvement in the qualification campaign placed him firmly on CAF’s youth development ladder and signalled the arrival of a special talent.
U-20 AFCON: Continental Exposure (2023)
In 2023, Mutyaba stepped up to the Uganda U-20 side and featured at the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. Competing against Africa’s top emerging players, he showed maturity, tactical intelligence and adaptability beyond his years.
The tournament served as a critical transition phase, preparing him for the physical and mental demands of senior international football.
CHAN 2023: Senior Responsibility
Later the same year, Mutyaba earned selection to the Uganda Cranes squad for the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN 2023) in Algeria. Facing experienced professionals across the continent, he demonstrated composure and confidence, underlining his readiness for higher responsibility.
Brief Mentions Beyond AFCON
Away from the AFCON pathway, Mutyaba’s rise has also been shaped by key milestones:
- CECAFA U-15 champion in 2019 (Eritrea)
- CECAFA U-18 champion in 2023
- CAF Confederation Cup winner in 2024 with Zamalek SC and currently playing his club football with CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, a nation in the same group with Uganda.
Each has added layers to his development but it is his AFCON journey that defines him.
AFCON 2025: The Final Step
Now, in 2025, Travis Mutyaba completes his CAF journey with selection to Uganda’s squad for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
His inclusion reflects not only his development pathway but also his contribution during the qualification campaign, where he delivered decisive performances in key moments.
A Player Built for Tournament Football
Mutyaba offers Uganda qualities well suited to AFCON football:
- Creativity in advanced areas
- Acceleration and one-v-one ability
- Tactical versatility across the front line
- Composure in high-pressure environments
Despite his age, the AFCON stage is not unfamiliar territory, it is a platform he has been building toward since his early teens.
Group C Challenge
Uganda was drawn in Group C alongside Nigeria, Tunisia and Tanzania, a group that promises intensity and high-level competition.
🎙️ ‘We have a very high chance to make it out of the group stage’ — Travis Mutyaba #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/rOoAvnvwFg
— Uganda Cranes (@UgandaCranes) December 18, 2025
For Mutyaba, Morocco represents both destination and beginning, the moment where years of steady progression across CAF competitions converge on African football’s biggest stage.
