NEWS
AFCON QUALIFIERS: Tricky home ties for Uganda, Rwanda
Five teams from the Council of East and Central African Football (CECAFA) region will be in action later today in the Total Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Regional giants Uganda Cranes will host Burkina Faso in a Group B match at the St. Marys Stadium, Kitende in what promises to be a thriller.
Uganda are second in the group with 7 points, and victory for them against Burkina Faso who lead with 8 points will see them qualify for their third straight AFCON. “We need to focus and to get a good result against Burkina Faso because the game is very important before we even travel to face Malawi next week,” said Uganda Cranes assistant coach Abdallah Mubiru.
The Bright Star of South Sudan who picked their first three points in the 1-0 win against Uganda will host Malawi in another Group B match at the Al Hilal Stadium in Khartoum Sudan. The South Sudan team play all their away matches away from home because the Juba National Stadium is still under renovation.
Rwanda who are bottom of Group F will host second placed Mozambique in Kigali is a game they must win if they hope to turn their campaign round. The Amavubi are riding on the motivation picked from the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) where they reached the quarter final stage.
Cameroon lead Group F with 10 points, while Mozambique and Cape Verde have 4 points each, and Rwanda only 2 points.
Sudan who play away to bottom placed Sao Tome & Principe in Group C will have to be at their best to collect maximum points to brighten their chances of qualification.
The Sudan team are third in the Group with 6 points, but both table leaders Ghana and South Africa are tied on 9 points.
Ethiopia under new coach Wubetu Abate will also be hungry to collect maximum points at home when they host Madagascar in a Group K match. “We have prepared well and we must play with caution and take our chances,” said Abate.
Ethiopia are third in the Group with 6 points, while Ivory Coast and Madagascar have 7 points each, and Niger bottom of the log with 3 points.
Two other teams from the CECAFA region Kenya and Tanzania will be in action on Thursday against Egypt and Equatorial Guinea respectively. On Friday Burundi will host the Central African Republic in a Group E match in Bujumbura.
The final draw for the regional CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026 will be held on July 10th in Kigali, Rwanda.
Twelve teams will be drawn ahead of the tournament slated for July 24th to August 7th in the Rwandan capital.
The draw will take place at the Amahoro National Stadium Press Conference room at 10am (Rwanda time). Former Rwandan International and Legend Haruna Niyonzima who also played in several editions of the CECAFA Kagame Cup will assist with the draw.
Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Manager explained that the draw will see four teams each drawn in three groups.
“The top team in each group and the best second placed team from at of the three groups will qualify for the semi final stage,” explained Mossi.
He said the tournament will help teams in the Zone prepare better ahead of the 2026/2027 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup which kick off in September.
CECAFA has also confirmed Singida Black Stars FC (Tanzania) as the 12th team in the competition. Last year Singida Black Stars FC defeated Al Hilal in the final, while APR FC finished third when the tournament was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The teams that will be drawn include; APR FC, Rayon Sport (Rwanda), Simba SC, Singida Black Stars FC (Tanzania), Vipers SC (Uganda), Al Hilal SC, El Merriekh SC (Sudan), Gor Mahia FC (Kenya), Mogadishu City FC (Somalia), Jamus SC ( South Sudan), FC Garde Républicaine (Djibouti), and KVZ FC (Zanzibar)
The Serengeti Boys of Tanzania have defeated Nigeria 3-2 in their opening match of the invitational 4-Nations China International Youth Football tournament in Yinchuan, China.
Issa Chole and Hamisi Chenga gave Tanzania a 2-0 half time lead at the Yinchaun Sports Centre Helanshan Stadium on Sunday.
In the second half, the Golden Eaglets came out with renewed purpose after the interval and were rewarded with a goal. But Tanzania restored their two-goal advantage when Kassim Juma produced a superb finish to make it 3-1.
Nigeria reduced the deficit again a few minutes later. In an earlier match hosts China defeated Australia 3-0.
Action continues on July 8th with Tanzania facing China, while Australia take on Nigeria. The tournament will end on July 11th as Tanzania face Australia and China take on Nigeria.
Tanzania are using the 4-Nations Invitational tournament to prepare ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026 to take place in December in Qatar.
Tanzania Premier League side, Simba SC will feature in the regional CECAFA Kagame Cup.
Rwanda will host the tournament slated for July 24th to August 8th in Kigali at the Amahoro National Stadium and the Kigali Pele Stadium.
Simba SC who have lifted the regional trophy a record six times return to the event since their last appearance in 2018 where they lost 2-1 to Azam FC.
Jean Sseninde, the Interim Executive Director confirmed that all top teams from the region will play in the tournament. “We are excited that this tournament will give the 12 teams a platform to prepare well ahead of the CAF competitions kicking off in September 2026,” added Sseninde.
She disclosed that the 12th team will be announced on July 6th, 2026. Hosts will be represented by top sides APR FC and Rayon Sports FC.
Three Member Associations Ethiopia, Eritrea and Burundi will not send teams to the CECAFA Kagame Cup. Last year Tanzanian side Singida Black Stars FC stopped Al Hilal SC in the final.
Eleven teams for CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026
APR FC, Rayon Sport (Rwanda), Simba SC (Tanzania), Vipers SC (Uganda), Al Hilal SC, El Merriekh SC (Sudan), Gor Mahia FC (Kenya), Mogadishu City FC (Somalia), Jamus SC ( South Sudan), FC Garde Républicaine (Djibouti), KVZ FC (Zanzibar)
Tanzania’s U-17 team will feature in a 4-Nation China International Youth Football Tournament 2026.
The Serengeti Boys, fresh from finishing second in the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) traveled to China on Thursday.
Hosts China, Australia, Nigeria and Tanzania will take part in the competition scheduled for the Yinchaun Sports Centre Helanshan Stadium.
Tanzania will open their campaign with a match against the Five-time World U-17 champions Nigeria on July 5th, and take on hosts China after three days.
“We are happy that the Serengeti Boys have got this opportunity to travel to China and play against different teams as they prepare ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in December,” Wallace Karia, the Tanzania Football Federation President told Xinhua.
The Chinese Football Association, Ningxia Hul Autonomous Region Administration of Sport and Yinchuan Municipal People’s Government are the hosts of the 4-Nation competition. Ningxia Football Association in conjunction with the Yinchuan Sports Bureau, and promoted by the China Football Industry Development Corporation are the organisers.
-
CAF Champions League8 months agoYoung Africans draw Al Ahly for CAF Champions League group stage
-
CAF African Nations Championship2 years agoAfrican Nations Championship 2025 dates announced
-
CAF African Nations Championship11 months agoCHAN 2024: Kenya lead group, to face Madagascar in quarter final stage
-
FIFA U-17 World Cup 20258 months agoUganda ejects Senegal to storm FIFA U-17 World Cup round of 16
-
CECAFA11 years agoBotswana beats Kenya in African Youth Championships
-
FIFA WOrld Cup Qualifiers10 months agoUganda win, Tanzania pick late draw in FIFA World Cup qualifiers
-
NEWS5 years agoYoung Africans SC face Nyasa Big Bullets in CECAFA Kagame Cup kick-off
-
Top stories6 years agoWe need to win the first match against Coronavirus – Infantino