Uganda and Tanzania are using their Africa Cup of Nations AFCON appearances in Morocco as a measuring stick for the work still required before they jointly host the 2027 tournament alongside neighbours Kenya.
Both East African nations are facing likely early exits at the current AFCON, underlining the gap that still exists between them and Africa's established heavyweights. Uganda take on Nigeria on Tuesday, while Tanzania face Tunisia, with both sides almost certainly needing victories to stand any chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Historically, success at AFCON has been elusive for both countries. Uganda have managed just one win in nine matches across three tournaments since finishing runners-up in 1978, while Tanzania are competing at the finals for only the fourth time and are still searching for their first-ever victory.
