The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the CECAFA Zone will have four teams participating in the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host the competition slated for February 1-28^th, 2025.

“The CECAFA Zone, which includes the three host countries, will receive an additional slot due to their automatic qualification as hosts. As a result, the total number of teams qualifying for the final tournament will be increased to 19 teams,” the African Football body announced on Thursday.

CAF also announced that the road to CHAN 2025 will start with the first round of qualifiers running October 25-27, 20224 and the return leg to be played November 1-3, 2024.

The second round of the qualifiers will be played between December 20-22 for the first round, and the return legs December 25-27.

Besides the CECAFA Zone that will have four teams, all the other Zones COSAFA, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNAF and UNIFFAC have been allocated three teams in the competition.

CHAN is a competition that consists of players playing in their respective national Leagues competitions.

Uganda has qualified six times from the seven Editions of the CHAN competitions that have been held since 2009. Rwanda have qualified four times, while Sudan and Ethiopia have each qualified for CHAN three times.

In a thrilling CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers semifinals, Kenya’s Police Bullets FC overcame Tanzania Women League champions Simba Queens FC 3-2 while hosts, Ethiopia’s CBE Women FC marched on with a 2-1 win over Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim FC on 26th August, 2024.

After registering a barren draw against South Sudan’s Yei Jont Stars, a slim 1 nil win over Rayon Sports Women FC and a loss to CBE Women FC in their Group A matches, Police Bullets FC came all guns blazing to silence Simba Queens.

Bullets were first to get on the score sheet on the 29th minute when Lucy Jira latched on a ball mishandled by Caroline Rufa, Simba Queens goalie. Minutes to half time, Bullets FC lead would be cut by Corazon Aquino close range tap from Elizabeth Wambui cross that had been parried to play by Bullets keeper Annedy Kundu.

Coming from half time a determined Simba took the lead with Corazon skillfully controlling the ball and launching a half volley into the net. The lead didnt last long as it only took 5 minutes for Police Bullets to level matters, this time Diana Wacera sending in a stinging header from a freekick.

Police Bullets marched on, posing threats to the Simba side and on the 82nd minute their efforts paid off, this time Rebecca Akoth beating her marker to round off Simba goalie and slot the ball into an empty net sending Police Bullets team and technical bench into jubilation.

Police Bullets held on their nerves with solid defending to secure a win and bag their maiden Finals ticket.

Later afternoon hosts CBE Women FC squared it off with Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC for a hard fought 2-1 win. CBE started pushing for an early goal but a stubborn Kawempe put the hosts at bay. Its only deep into half time at the 44th minute that CBE’s Mesay Temsegen found back of the net, capitalizing on a rebound to ease the hosts sides frustration.

Coming from half time home side cheers of believe could be heard as both sides kept knocking. However, it didnt take long as Shadia Nabirye capitalized on the Ethiopian side defense melee to guide the ball into the net and level matters.

Both sides produced thrilling performances but couldnt find the net with the match coming to the last minutes. Four minutes to end of play, and what appeared to be a misjudgement by Kawempe goalie, a long range effort by Emedet Asfaw bounced inside the box, straight into the net.

CBE women FC held on their nerves to maintain the lead and eventually march to their 3rd finals since inception of the Zonal Qualifiers in 2021.

CBE Women FC will now face Kenya’s Police Bullets on 29th August, in the CAF Womens Champions League Qualifiers for a coveted ticket to represent CECAFA region at the continental CAF Women’s Champions League 2024.

Simba Queens will earlier in the day take on Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC for a 3rd place play off.

The Tanzania women’s national team, Twiga Stars has arrived in Tunis, Tunisia to play two international friendly matches.

Bakari Nyundo Shime, the head coach says the two matches against Tunisia and Botswana are very important to help keep building the team. The matches will be played between July 11 -16.

Seven professional players included on the squad include; skipper Oppa Clement Tukumbuke (Besiktas, Turkey), Diana Lucas (Ame S.F.K, Turkey), Maimuna Kaimu (ZED FC, Egypt), Clara Luvanga (Al Nasi FC, Saudi Arabia), Aisha Masaka (BK Hacken, Sweden), Juletha Singano (Juarez, Mexico, Enekia Kasonga (Eastern Flames, Saudi Arabia)

In February this year the Twiga Stars were eliminated by South Africa in the third round of the Paris Olympic qualifiers. Zambia and Nigeria went on to book the two slots for Africa.

The Dar Port Kagame Cup 2024 finally got off to a good start with two Group A matches played this afternoon at the KMKM Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Sudan’s Hay Al Wadi and Coastal Union FC (Tanzania) collected maximum points after registering wins.

Jabril Mohamed scored Hay Wadi’s only goal after only three minutes after finding the JKU SC (Zanzibar) defending line flat flatfooted. The two teams continued to pile pressure on either side, but failed to get more goals.

After recess JKU SC looked the better side, but failed to utilize their scoring chances through Mudric Abdi Shehe and Matta Juma Nassoro.

Mohsen Sayed, the Hay Al Wadi coach said he was happy to start the tournament with a win. “It was not an easy match. But I am glad the team scored early and defended well,” added the coach.

In the second match played at the same Stadium, Coastal Union FC who finished fourth in the 2023/2024 Tanzania Premier League made sure they collected maximum points when they beat Dekehada SC 1-0. Ramadhan Mwenda nodded in the only goal two minutes into added time before the break.

Coast Union FC continued to push forward in the second half, but failed to break the Dekehada defence. Action continues in Group C later this evening with SC Villa (Uganda) facing El Merriekh Bentiu (South Sudan), while APR FC (Rwanda) take on Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars FC.

The top team in each of the three groups and the best runners up from any of the groups will automatically qualify for the semi-final stage. Mwenda Ramadhan

Group A standing

                          P      W    D     L       GF     GA    A   Pts

Coastal Union 1       1      0    0        1       0       1     3

Hay Al Wadi    1       1      0    0        1       0       1     3

JKU SC              1       0      0    1        0       1      – 1    0

Dekeheda        1      0       0    1        0       1      -1     0