The curtains will come down on Friday with the final of the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026 between Rayon Sport FC and Gor Mahia FC takes place at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.

Supported by the Rwanda President Paul Kagame since 2002, the regional tournament which has grown in stature returned to Rwanda after seven years.

This year the tournament attracted 12 teams from nine countries and the head coaches of various teams have all hyped praise on Rwanda for being good hosts.

Hababuu Ali Omar (KVZ SC Coach): “This has been a well organized tournament and we are happy that it also gave us opportunity to prepare the team ahead of the new season.”

Guy Bukasa Misakabu (Al Hilal SC Coach): “The CECAFA Kagame Cup has given us the best chance to test the squad ahead of a busy new season. Rwanda have been very good hosts and we have liked the tournament.”

Saber Ben Jabria (Jamus SC Coach): “The organisation of the tournament by CECAFA has been good and the hosts Rwanda have also been good. The tournament has helped me test and know players since I am a new coach.”

Steven Robert Barker (Simba SC Coach): “Rwanda have been very good hosts because everything was well arranged together with CECAFA. Since it was pre-season it gave us good opportunity to test players.”

Harringingo Francis Christian (Rayon Sport FC Coach): “Getting to the final after winning all matches has been a good things for us during this pre-season tournament. We have loved the way of organistion by hosts Rwanda and CECAFA.”

Dadir Amin Ali (Mogadishu City Club Coach): “This tournament gave us the chance to test the team well since we are still playing the League back in Somalia and also preparation for the CAF Confederation Cup.”

Kadir Ahmed Robleh (Garde Republicaine FC Coach): “We liked the level of organisation by Rwanda and CECAFA. The tournament gave us chance for good exposure with other teams around the region.”

Denis Jean Lavagne (Vipers SC Coach): “As a new coach at the Club this tournament has given my a good insight of what kind of players we have and how we can sue them in the season. The Kagame Cup was well organized and we thank Rwanda and CECAFA.”

Taleb Abderrahim (APR FC Coach): “It was disappointing that we failed to qualify form the group. But we learnt lessons that will help us as we continue with the pre-season ahead of a busy new season. We thank the hosts and organisers of the tournament.”

Papy Okitankoyi Kimoto (Singida Black Stars FC Coach): “Although we failed to defend the title, the tournament gave us good ground to practice and try out several players ahead of the bust season. Rwanda were very good hosts.”

Charles Kwabian Akonnor (Gor Mahia FC Coach): “ This has been a well organised tournament and we thank Rwanda and CECAFA for the good work. It has helped us as a team to prepare better during this pre-season and the bonus is getting to the final.”

Sudan’s Al Hilal SC have been drawn against Burundi Premier League champions Aigle Noir CS in the first preliminary round of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

The draw was conducted on Friday in Cairo, Egypt.

The 2025/2026 quarter finalists Al Hilal SC will play the first leg in Burundi between September 4-6^th, and later hosts their return leg in Kigali between September 11-13^th.

Incase they go past the first hurdle, Sudan’s Al Hilal SC will then face the winner between Aigloms FC N’Djamena (Chad) and Sidaama Buna FC (Ethiopia).

“The CECAFA Kagame Cup has given us good preparations ahead of the CAF Champions League,” says Al Hilal SC head coach Guy Bukasa Misakabu.

South Sudan Premier League champions El Merriekh SC Bentiu will also make a return to the competition when they face Heegan SC (Somalia), while Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) take on Pyramids FC (Egypt) in the first preliminary round.

Uganda’s Vipers SC will take on Mauritania’s giants FC Nouadhibou, APR FC (Rwanda) face Les Aigles Du Congo, while Young Africans SC (tanzania) play Botswana’s Gaborone Utd FC.

The three highest-ranked clubs earned a bye through the first preliminary round: South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance and Renaissance Berkane.

The second preliminary round follows a similar pattern. First legs fall between 16 and 18 October, and the return matches take place from the 23rd to the 25th.

Fresh from taking part in the CECAFA Kagame Cup, Mogadishu City Club FC will face Kitara FC (Uganda) in the first preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.

The two teams were drawn together during the official draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday in Cairo, Egypt.

Mogadishu City Club who will host their matches in Nairobi, Kenya will play the first leg at home before traveling to Uganda. The first leg matches will take place September 4-6^th, while the return legs are slated for September 11-13^th.

The winner between the Ugandan team and Mogadishu City Club will face African giants Al Ahly SC in the second preliminary in October.

Sudan’s Al Hilal Alsahii and Walwalo Adigrat USC (Ethiopia) will also face off, with the winner facing the winner between KMKM SC (Zanzibar) and Al Ahly Tripoli in the second preliminary round.

Tanzania Premier League side who were exempted from the first preliminary round will face the winner between ZED FC (Egypt) and ASAS Djibouti Tel.

Rwanda’s Rayon Sport FC who are in the CECAFA Kagame Cup final on Friday will tussle it out with Pathere Sportive FC in the first round, while Burundi’s Rukinzo FC take on Durban City FC (South Africa) in the first preliminary round.

Two other matches involving teams from the CECAFA Zone will see Al Ahli Madani (Sudan) face Tusker FC (Kenya), while South Sudan’s Al-Ghazala SC battle Singida Black Stars FC (Tanzania).

The Second Preliminary Round will begin from October 16-18, before the decisive return legs are staged from October 23-25.

All roads lead to the Kigali Pele Stadium on Tuesday to witness the semi-final stage of the regional CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026.

The first match will see three time winners Gor Mahia FC from Kenya face Al Hilal SC (Sudan) in what promises to be a thriller.

Guy Bukasa has made it clear that his Al Hilal side will walk on to the pitch with one mission to win and get to the final. “We are in the semi-final and the target is to win. When you reach this stage of the competition, you have to fight to make the final,” says Bukasa.

He said although they respect Gor Mahia FC, his team is well prepared for the match in all aspects. “Gor Mahia deserve our respect. The tactical approach will be very important because both teams like to build from the goalkeepers,” added Bukasa.

Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor also made it clear that although they respect Al Hilal as a strong force in African Football, the Kenyan champions are well prepared for the encounter.

“We believe in ourselves as Gor Mahia and together with the support of our fans we are ready to carry the fly high,” added Akonnor.

Gor Mahia defender Daniel Sakari Macheso, also made it clear that the boys are geared up for the semi-final clash.

Interestingly the two teams go into the knock-out stage having each netted six goals and conceded more in the group stage to finish with six points respectively.

The second semi-final between surprise package Jamus SC from South Sudan and home side Rayon Sport FC also promises to be a tough battle.

Francis Haringingo, the Rayon Sport coach admits the match will be very tough against a Jamus SC side that topped a tough group that had holders Singida Black Stars and Simba SC. “We shall give everything possible to reach the final,” he added.

The Jamus SC head coach Saber Ben Jabria says his team is ready for the challenge. “We are not scared playing infront of the home crowd because the boys are ready and determined to prove a point,” added the coach.

The two teams go into the semi-final as the only unbeaten sides in the group stage. Rayon Sports FC where the only team to collect maximum points in the group, while Jamus SC picked two wins and a draw.

A total of US$60,000 prize money courtesy of the Rwanda President Paul Kagame awaits the top three teams. The winner will bag US$30,000, the ruuner-up US$20,000 and te third placed team US$10,000.