The CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship 2025 finally kicks off this afternoon with Burundi facing reigning champions Uganda Crested Cranes at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Olivier Alian Niyungeko, Burundi’s head coach told Cecafaonline that although they expect a very tough encounter against Uganda, his team is well prepared.

“This is a kind of tournament where every match is very important and we want to make a good start,” says Niyungeko who will miss the services of Rah Roy Nzoyikorera who has been battling a fever since the team arrived in Tanzania.

Sheryl Botes Ulanda, Uganda Crested Cranes head coach also made it clear that what is important will be to have a good start in the tournament. “We need to approach every match strongly and starting with a win will give us a good start,” added Ulanda.

In their last meeting at the 2022 CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship Uganda defeated Burundi 4-1 in the group stage and 3-1 in the final played at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.

The second match of the day will see South Sudan face a tough test against the Twiga Stars of Tanzania. Fresh from recording two wins against DR Congo international friendly matches, coach Bakari Shime will expect some of his key forwards like Opa Clement Tukumbuke and Clara Cleitus Luvanga to be at their best to find the goals.

“We shall not underrate any team in this tournament,” says Shime. South Sudan who will reply on majority of the Yei Joint Stars players will also be hoping to make a good start.

The regional competition which has attracted five teams will be played on a round robin basis with all the teams playing four matches.

“We have had to push the kick-off by a day as the South Sudan team because of some challenges can only arrive on Wednesday,” says Yusuf Mossi, the Competitions Director of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA).

“The competition with help our representatives to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Tanzania prepare better and the other teams to get more exposure,” says the CECAFA Competitions Director Yussuf Mossi.

Tanzania have picked a 2-1 win against Eswatini in a Group C match played on Wednesday afternoon at the on-going 2025 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup.

Going into the game, Tanzania had already been eliminated after Madagascar led the Group with 4 points, while Taifa Stars was bottom after losing their opening match.

But Taifa Stars playing for pride went all out to ensure they picked a win. Andy Junior Magagula gave Eswatini the lead after 29 minutes at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Iddy Seleman Nado leveled matters after 37 minutes.

In the 69th minute Tanzania made it 2-1 after Shekhani Khamis’ shot slipped through the arms of Eswatini’s goalkeeper Bongiswa Dlamini.

Hemed Suleiman, Taifa Stars head coach said that the three matches they played had helped his team prepare ahead of upcoming matches. Before the match today Tanzania settled for a goalless draw against South Africa in an International friendly match, and lost 1-0 to Madagascar in the opening tie of the Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup.

Group C winners Madagascar will now advance to play Angola, while South Africa face Comoros at the semi-final stage.

Harambee Stars have picked a 2-1 win against Chad in an international friendly match played at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.

Emmanuel Osoro gave Kenya the lead after 18 minutes. He made no mistake finishing off a cross by Ben Omondi.

Chad who managed to hold Kenya to a goalless draw in the first match few days ago tried to push forward to find goals, but failed to penetrate the Harambee Stars defending line.

At the stroke of half time David Sakwa made it 2-0 for Kenya. But after the interval Chad intensified their search for goals and were rewarded after 60 minutes through Ali Mahamat Adam.

The win also marked head coach Benni McCarthy’s first victory from four matches since taking charge of the team in March this year.

Harambee Stars used the two friendly matches to prepare ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) 2025 to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Meanwhile, Burundi also registered a goalless draw against Mauritania in an international friendly match played in Morocco on Tuesday evening.

Uganda Cranes settled for a 1-1 draw in international match played against The Gambia on Monday night at the Stade de Marrakech Annexe in Morocco.

Smarting form a 3-0 defeat to Cameroon few days ago, Coach Paul Put’s team came all out in search of early goals.

After 25 minutes Roger Mato put Uganda Cranes ahead, but The Gambia replied with a penalty converted by Alasana Manneh after 45 minutes.

In the second half the two teams made some changes and pushed forward to try and get more goals. Uganda’s goalkeeper Ismail Watenga was replaced by Joel Mutakubwa after sustaining an injury.

In another international match played by a team from the CECAFA Zone Rwanda suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Algeria. The Amavubi suffered defeat by a similar margin to the same team few days ago.

On Tuesday Kenya’s Harambee Stars will face Chad, while Burundi take on Mauritania.