NEWS
Coaches applaud CAF for introducing Women’s Champions League
The CECAFA zonal qualifier for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League enters the semi final stage today in Nairobi, Kenya.
Coaches of the eight teams that qualified to represent their respective countries have come out to praise the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) under President Patrice Motsepe for introducing this tournament, and CECAFA for organizing the qualifier.
Fred Musiime, the Lady Doves coach says he is very happy that finally CAF has though of having this tournament. “This is a very good platform for the teams in Africa to keep improving by playing in such a tournament,” says Musiime.
The PVP FC (Burundi) coach Jumaine Niyonkuru says having this competition is going to bring more competition in most of the Women Leagues in Africa. “This is a very good step by CAF to introduce this tournament because it will be another place where scouts can also scout out players,” added Niyonkuru.
Although his team did not manage to pick a single win in the tournament, coach of Djibouti’s FAD FC, Darar Abdillahi Darar thinks with many more tournaments for women footballers in Africa like the Champions League, the standards of women football will keep improving. “Players will always get better if they have more exposure and I think it was great idea for CAF to introduce this tournament,” says Darar.
Vihiga Queens FC coach Charles Okere Okoth also made it clear that this tournament was long overdue. “Women football has been lacking a platform like this for the teams in the continent to compete just like the men. I thank CAF for finally making this happen,” added Okoth.
For Heye Birhanu Gizaw whose Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC are the only team that has kept a 100% winning record in the group stage, he has thanked CECAFA and Kenya in particular for oragnising this tournament, but also praised CAF for finally introducing this event. “With this Champions League now in place, we shall now see many teams getting more competitive because they will be playing for silverware at continental level and this gives another platform,” he added.
The other three coaches of Simba Queens FC (Tanzania), Yei Joints Stars (South Sudan) and New Generations FC (Zanzibar) also made it clear that having this Women’s Champions League tournament is very good news and CAF must be applauded.
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 4-6th, and later hosts their return leg in Kigali between September 11-13th.
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 4-6th, while the return legs are slated for September 11-13th.
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.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has requested to host the CECAFA Challenge Cup 2027.
Paulous Weldehaimanot Andermariam, President of the President of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has reveled that they are in talks with Kenya about the Challenge Cup.
“Kenya has already requested us to host the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup which they also want to use to launch one of their new Stadiums,” says Andermariam.
He made it clear that they are working hard to ensure that the Senior Challenge Cup returns because it is the biggest tournament in the Zone for national teams. “We need to return back the Senior Challenge Cup and also find sponsors,” added the CECAFA President.
Andermariam explained that it has been difficult to organize the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in the past years because of congested local and International calendars.
The last CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup was held in Uganda where the hosts defeated Eritrea in the final.
The CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup is Africa’s oldest regional football tournament, organized by CECAFA for national teams in East and Central Africa. It evolved from the Gossage Cup (1926) and Challenge Cup (1967) before becoming the modern CECAFA Kagame Cup Cup in 2002.
South Sudan International Lazarus Peter George Laku has signed for Swedish giants IFK Göteborg.
The gifted youngster who was top scorer in the CECAFA U-15 tournament three years ago signed a five-year contract.
Laku, aged 18-year first captured International eyes after dominating the CECAFA youth tournaments and earning his senior Bright Star debut at just 16.
He transitioned from his pre-contract agreement into a long-term professional deal with the two-time UEFA Cup champions.
Laku started playing Football at School in Juba and later joined the Future Stars Football Academy that continued to nature his talent.
“Join us in wishing Lazarus Peter the absolute best of luck as he takes the Allsvenskan by storm,” said a communication by the the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF).
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