The head coach of Tanzania’s Twiga Stars Bakari Nyundo Shime has called for total focus in their last Group B match at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026.

After stopping South Africa 2-1 in the opening match and losing by the same margin to Burkina Faso, Twiga Stars must be at their best when they take on table leaders Ivory Coast in a deciding match on Tuesday night in Casablanca, Morocco.

“We need to be very focused as a team because qualification is in our hands. We must make sure we take our chances in-front of goal, but also defend well,” added Shime.

Ivory Coast who face bottom placed South Africa lead the group with 4 points, while Burkina Faso and Tanzania have 3 points each.  

Meanwhile, Kenya were eliminated in the group stage of the competition after losing 2-0 to Algeria in a Group A match played on Monday. Kenya bowed out of the tournament having loss lost all the three matches and scored no goals.

The competition is also being used as a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier.

Tanzania’s Simba Queens FC have been drawn to face Kenya Police Bullets FC in the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers 2026.

The official draw was conducted on Thursday at the Amahoro Stadium Conference Hall in Kigali, Rwanda.

CECAFA Head of Marketing and Communication, Andrew Jackson Oryada conducted the draw, while former Rwandan International Gloria Sofia Nibagwire.

The qualifiers that will feature 10 teams will take place August 21-31^st in Kigali. Matches will be played at the Kigali Pele Stadium, and the FERWAFA Techinal Center ground.

Simba Queens, the 2022 Zonal champions were placed in Group C together with the Kenyan Women’s Champions and Burundi’s Top Girls Academy.

The home side Rayon Sport WFC are placed in Group A together with Yei Joint Star FC (South Sudan), Mafunzo SC (Zanzibar) and Eritrea’s Denden FC.

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia who have reached two finals before and lifted the 2024 title are in Group B alongside Kawempe Muslim Ladies (Uganda) and Djibouti’s FC Ujeco

The top two teams from Group A, together with the group leaders in Group B and C will qualify for the semi-final stage. The winner Group B will face the runner-up Group A, while the winner Group A battles winner Group C at the semi-finals.

The champion will represent the CECAFA Zone at the CAF Women’s Champions League 2026.

Group A: Rayon Sport WFC, Yei Joint Star FC, Mafunzo SC, Denden FC

Group B: CBE FC, Kawempe Muslim Ladies, FC Ujeco

Group C: Simba Queens, Kenya Police Bullets FC, Top Girls Academy FC

The official draw for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers will take place on July 30^th at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.

Yusuf Mossi, the Competitions Manager of the Council of East and Central Africa Football (CECAFA) disclosed that the draw will take place at 10.30am (Rwanda time).

Ten teams will take part in the qualifiers which will run August 21-31^st in the Rwandan capital Kigali.

Simba Queens from Tanzania and Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC who have lifted the regional trophy once will also feature in the qualifiers.

The winner of the regional qualifiers will represent CECAFA at the CAF Women’s Champions League 2026. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is yet to announce the venue and dates of the tournament.

Teams to be drawn

Top Girls Academy (Burundi), FC Ujeco (Djibouti), Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC (Ethiopia), Denden FC (Eritrea), Kenya Police Bullets (Kenya), Rayon Sport WFC (Rwanda), Yei Joint Stars (South Sudan), Simba Queens (Tanzania), Kawempe Muslim Ladies (Uganda), Mafunzo WFC (Zanzibar)

Tanzania showed good fighting spirit to defeat South Africa 2-1 in their Group B opening match at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026.

The Twiga Stars briefly went top of Group B after the famous win against the former African Women champions.

Tanzania’s skipper Opa Tukumbuke came close to finding the net early in the game, but the South African goalkeeper was up to the task at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca.

Hildah Magaia also had her effort miss by inches at the Twiga Stars goal mouth.

After 37 minutes Diana Msewa put Tanzania ahead with a goal finish after beating defender Bongeka Gamede. But the Banyana Banyana did not give up and leveled matters at the stroke of half time through Bambanani Mbane.

The second half saw the two sides miss some glaring scoring opportunities. With the cloack ticking away substitute Hasnath Ubamba beat South Africa’s goalkeeper to make it 2-1 after 86 minutes.

Twiga Stars held on to collect maximum points and their first win against South Africa in their last three meetings.

With the tie looking to go into the break with Tanzania in the lead Bambanani Mbane showed exceptional anticipation when reacting to a save by Idrisa to head home the equaliser and send the sides into the break level.

Bakari Nyundo Shime, the Twiga Stars head coach praised her players for the team work. “It is good to start with a win in such a tournament and now we focus on our next two Group games against Ivorya Coast and Burkina Faso,” added Shime.

Another CECAFA team Kenya kick started the campaign with a 4-0 defeat to hosts Morocco in a Group A match played on Sunday.