Africa Air Badminton Championship 2026: How Mauritania ejected host Uganda from the team events

As the sun dipped below the horizon of Lake Victoria, casting a golden glow over Aero Beach, the mood on the sand was anything but warm. On Wednesday, a gentle lake breeze, so often a welcome companion, turned into an unpredictable foe as Uganda’s team campaign at the Africa Air Badminton Championship 2026 came to a brutal, heartbreaking halt.

With a calm and confident march onto the demarcated surface of play, Uganda had hope to repeat what they had done in 2024, but the action was different as they lost narrowly to Burkina Faso 60-53 in the afternoon.

In their second tension-filled Group C evening match, Northwest African side Mauritania stunned the host nation, dealing Uganda a comprehensive defeat in both the doubles and triples events to write a painful chapter: the country’s first-ever Air Badminton loss on home soil.

The stage had been meticulously set, with the sand freshly raked following the warm-ups, and a hopeful crowd eagerly awaiting a masterclass from Team Uganda under Head Coach William Kabindi.

The nightmare began when Muzafaru Lubega and Reagan Nsubuga stepped into the arena to face Mauritania’s Tamesh Dookhee and Giresh Kumar Rampersand in the men’s doubles. After an explosive start, outdoor air badminton demanded absolute perfection against the elements. A crucial miscommunication on the back line handed momentum to Mauritania, who smelled blood and closed out the opening set 15-10.

Down but far from out, Uganda looked to turn the tide through the women’s squad of Tracy Naluwoza, Gladys Mbabazi, and Maliha Musa. Sensing a tactical shift was needed, the Ugandan bench rested Musa, transforming the lineup into a ruthless doubles pair.

What followed was a masterclass in determination. Point by point, the deficit vanished as the hosts clawed their way back to miraculously level the score at 34-34. Tempers flared as the tension reached a boiling point, with fierce protests erupting over line calls. In the chaotic push and pull, Mauritania narrowly stole the second half 15-14 (44-39 on aggregate).

With momentum hanging by a thread, the men’s triples squad featuring Bruno Agaba alongside Lubega and Nsubuga stepped up against a towering Mauritanian trio. The Entebbe wind played a punishing role, turning the match into a harsh battle against invisible currents. Mauritania pulled away decisively, sealing the final game 16-7 (60-46 overall).

Initially expected to feature 14 competitive nations, the tournament field has been streamlined to nine teams divided into tight three-team groups. Pitted alongside Mauritania and Burkina Faso in Group C and lost to both of them.

Uganda finished at the bottom of their group standings after the round-robin matches and failed to qualify for the next round, exiting the team competition.

Uganda’s team event dreams are over. However, all is not lost; Uganda remains fiercely in contention for glory in the singles events, where a solitary player takes on the world.

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