Burundi brightened their chances of making it to the next stage after they humbled Djibouti 18-0 in the first leg of the third round in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

The Burundi team took a 7-0 lead at half time in a match played on Sunday at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

After recess the Burundi team added 11 goals to silence the Djibouti team. Esterance Habonimana netted seven goals, while Doriane Nzoyikorera scored six goals. Clanceline Akimana netted a brace, while Angle Davina Nibogora, Josephine Majura and Nellyssa Kamikazi scored a goal each.

The return leg will be played at the same stadium on Wednesday with Burundi looking set to make it to the final round of the qualifiers.

In the other match played on Sunday, Uganda suffered a 2-0 away defeat to Zambia at the Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka. Namute Chileshe and Ruth Mukoma scored for the hosts. Hosts Ethiopia and Kenya also settled for a goalless draw in a match played on Friday at the Abebe Bikila Stadium.

CECAFA is assured of having a team qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since the winner between Djibouti and Burundi will face-off with the winner between Ethiopia and Kenya at the final stage. The winner between Uganda and Zambia and will the winner between Morocco and Algeria in the final phase of the qualifiers.

The other teams battling in the third round include: Senegal, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024 which will also have three qualified teams from Africa will take place in the Dominican Republic later this year starting from 16 October to 3 November, 2024.

Vital’O are the 2023/2024 Burundi Primus Premier League champions.

Coach Parris Sahabo’s team will now represent Burundi in the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions league.

Sahabo’s team finished with 72 points from 30 matches played, while Flambeau du Centre who put up a good show came second with 69 points.

” We are very happy that after hard work through out the season we have lifted the title and can now play at continental level, ” says Vital’O coach Sahabo.

Vital’O who who had last lifted the Burundi Primus Premier League title in the 2015/2016 season have won the title a record 21 times. Inter FC have lifted the title 9 times, while Bumamuru FC only recorded it once in the 2022/2023 season.

The other Premier League that has been decided in the CECAFA Zone is Rwanda where APR FC emerged champions.

The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) officials have welcomed the recent Zonal Unions tactical workshop held in Cairo, Egypt.

Organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the workshop that took place May 29-30th at the Movenpick Media City Hotel attracted over 40 members from all the six Zones in Africa.

Auka John Gecheo, the CECAFA Executive Director said the workshop that brought together all Zones under one room was very fruitful and insightful. ” This is the first time did was done and hopefully this is the beginning of greater things in the Zone, ” added Gecheo.

The CECAFA Competitions Manager, Yusuf Mossi also made it clear that having this kind of workshop for the first time was clear testimony of better things to come. ” We are definitely moving forward if we can have such a workshop with all Zones discussing to map out strategies, ” added Mossi.

Jean Sseninde, the Women’s Football Development manager said the workshop was very insightful and helped all members continue educating themselves as they work for the further progress and development of Football.

The two-day tactical Workshop focused on practical steps that will lead to accelerated development and stronger cooperation between CAF and the Zonal Unions.

Sarah Mukuna, CAF Director of Member Associations thanked all the staff of the six Zones for attending the workshop which is a part of the commitment made by CAF Leadership under the President Dr. Patrice Motsepe to strengthen the Zonal Unions and also enhance capacity through knowledge exchange.

The other staff from the CECAFA secretariat who attended the workshop include; Andrew Oryada (Marketing and Communications Manager), Baraka Kizuguto (Football Development Manager), Deocratias Meso (Finance Manager), Ali Ahmed (Head of Referees department) and CECAFA Administaror Veronica Lusichi.

The CAF African Schools Football Championship finals 2024 will be hosted by Zanzibar from May 21-24th at the Amaan Stadium.

Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) announced on Friday that the Championship, the second Edition will take place in Zanzibar.

The CAF African Schools Football Championship which features Boys and Girls under the age of 15 is the brainchild of CAF President Dr.  Patrice Motsepe.

CECAFA Zonal champions St. Marys Secondary School Kitende (SMASK) (Boys) and Kawempe Muslim SS (Girls), also from Uganda will represent the Zone.

To qualify for the final SMACK defeated Tanzania 4-2 via post-match penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final, while Kawempe Muslim SS edged Kenya 2-1 when the Zonal qualifiers were played last December in Nairobi, Kenya.

Hussein Ahmada, the General Secretary of the Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF) said that they are happy that they will host the CAF African Schools Football Championship finals. ” We promise to host a good Championship and we invite everyone to come and see Zanzibar, ” he added.

In 2023, Febraury Royal Giants High School clinched the CECAFA title, but failed to travel for the finals of the firts Edition in South Africa, while Tanzania’s Fountain Gate School lifted the girl’s trophy in Durban.

Besides the Championship in Zanzibar, CAF will also conduct various capacity-building programmes which include the Young Reporters Programme, Young Referee Programme, Young Medical Officers Programme, CAF D License Coaching Course, as well as the CAF Safeguarding workshops.

Winners of both the Boys’ and Girls’ competition will each receive USD 300 000 prize money, runners-up each receiving USD 200 000, while the bronze medalists will each take home USD 150 00, courtesy of CAF’s partnership with the Motsepe Foundation to be utilised for development projects within schools.