Rwanda Premier League reigning champions APR FC have made a false start in the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Going into the first leg first preliminary match at the Kigali Pele Stadium against the defending champions Pyramids FC on Wednesday, the home side needed to secure a good result before the return leg in Cairo.

But the visiting Egyptian Premier League side ensured they picked a comfortable 2-0 win.

DR Congo forward Fiston Mayele scored in each half to silence the home crowd.

After a goalless first half where the two teams had some missed scoring chances, Mayele beat the APR defending line to send a low shot past goalkeeper Pierre Ishimwe.

APR FC brought the fresh legs of Mamadou Sy and Ugandan International Dennis Omedi, bit to no avail as the Pyramids FC defenders stood firm.

With the clock ticking away Mayele capitalized on a mistimed clearance by the APR FC defenders and raced in the box to score to make it 2-0 after 86 minutes.

APR FC now face a tall order when the two teams face-off again in the return leg on October 8^th in Cairo.

All the other first preliminary matches have been decided apart form the one between Pyramids FC and APR, and the one involving Saint-Eloi Lupopo and Sudan’s El Merriekh.

Six teams from the CECAFA Zone have advanced to the second preliminary round of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.

Zanzibar’s KMKM SC and Dekedaha FC (Somalia) wrote their won history when they made it to the next stage.

KMKM SC ejected Djibouti’s AS Port 4-2 on aggregate to qualify for the next round for the first time in the club history, while Dekedaha FC from Somalia for a second season running advanced to the next stage after seeing off Al Zamala (Sudan).

Azam FC handled by experienced Florent Ibenge also humbled South Sudan’s El Merriekh SC Bentiu 4-0 on aggregate, and will now face KMKM SC in the second preliminary round.

Fresh from winning the regional CECAFA Kagame Cup, Singida Black Stars FC also swept Rwanda’s Rayon Sports FC 3-1 on aggregate to advance to the next stage where they will face Flambeu du Centre.

The Burundi Premier League side stopped Al Akhdar FC 2-1 in the first leg, and went on to hold the Libyan side to a 2-2 draw in the return leg played in Benghazi.

Nairobi United FC also eased past Uganda’s NEC FC after the two sides tied 3-3 on aggregate, but the Kenyan side advanced on more goals scored away from home.

Nairobi Stars FC will now face Etoile du Sahel in the second preliminary round after the Tunisian side ejected Sudan’s Al Ahli Madani.

The first leg matches of the second preliminary round will be played October 17-19, while the return legs take centre stage October 24-26^th, 2025.

Burundi’s Premier League reigning champions Aigle Noir C.S will face giants Al Ahly in the second qualifying round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Aigle Noir ejected Djibouti’s ASAS on away goals’ rule after a 1-1 draw on aggregate in the first preliminary round.

It will be the first time that Aigle Noir play in that stage and will host the Egyptian side Al Ahly in the renovated National Stadium in Bujumbura next month in the first round.

Tanzania’s Simba SC who ejected Gaborone United (Botswana) 2-1 on aggregate will face Nsingizini Hotspurs Fc in the second qualifying round. The Eswatini side saw off Simba Bhora FC from Zimbabwe 3-0 on aggregate.

Kenya Police FC who lost the return leg 2-0 to Mogadishu City FC, but qualified on more goals scored away rule after the two team’s ties 3-3, will face Sudan’s Al Hilal SC in the next round.

After settling for a goalless draw in the first leg against South Sudan’s Jamus SC, Al Hilal managed to win the return leg 1-0 with Claude Jean Girumugisha scoring the lone goal in a match played at the New Amaan Stadium on Zanzibar on Sunday.

Tanzania giants Young Africans SC who ejected Wiliete FC 3-0 on aggregate will fancy their chances of making it to the group stage when they face Malawi’s Silver Strikers FC in the second preliminary round.

Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC who played in the group stage in the 2022/2023 season will take on Power Dynamos FC in the second preliminary round. The Zambian ejected ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) during penalty shoot-outs after a 1-1 draw on aggregate.

Ethiopian Insurance FC who eliminated Mlandege SC (Zanzibar) 4-3 on aggregate will also face the winner between Rwanda’s APR FC (Rwanda) and defending champions Pyramids FC (Egypt).

Meanwhile Sudan’s El Merriekh lost 1-0 to Saint-Eloi Lupopo in the first leg of the first preliminary round, while APR FC will host Pyramids on October 1^st in Kigali.

Ten teams have confirmed participation in the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026 CECAFA qualifiers.

Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Manager confirmed to Cecafaonline on Friday that ten Member Associations have entered their teams.

“We closed the registration late last month and I can confirm that ten teams will take part in the qualifiers to be hosted by Ethiopia,” added Mossi.

He explained that the qualifiers have been scheduled to take place November 15-30^th. “We might adjust the dates and make the announcement soon,” added Mossi.

Six teams played in the 2025 CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers which saw hosts Uganda emerge champions.

At the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ten teams including Uganda qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 to take place in Qatar this November.

Teams that have confirmed

Ethiopia

Uganda

Sudan

South Sudan

Rwanda

Burundi

Tanzania

Somalia

Djibouti

Kenya