Uganda will not participate in the 2026 Africa Men’s Sevens Championship in Mauritius after travel restrictions linked to the recent Ebola outbreak prevented the Rugby Cranes 7s from making the trip.
In a statement, Uganda Rugby said Mauritius has temporarily barred entry to travellers who have recently been in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or South Sudan, forcing the federation to withdraw from the continental tournament.
Rugby Africa has since confirmed Senegal as Uganda’s replacement for the competition, which will take place on June 20th and 21st at SPARC in Cascavelle, Mauritius.
The event is part of celebrations marking 40 years of Rugby Africa and will feature 12 teams divided into three pools.
Following the change, Senegal joins Madagascar, Ghana, and Tunisia in Pool B. Uganda Rugby says it is engaging Rugby Africa and the Rugby Committee to explore alternative qualification opportunities for the HSBC Division Three competition.
Defending champions South Africa will be looking to retain the title they won in 2025 after defeating Madagascar 28-12 in last year’s final.
Meanwhile, Kenya will be aiming for a stronger finish after placing fourth in 2025, having narrowly lost the bronze medal playoff to Zimbabwe.
Uganda Rugby President Godwin Arinaitwe Kayangwe says the federation remains committed to the safety of players, staff and supporters and will provide further updates as discussions continue.
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