NEWS
Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda improve in latest FIFA rankings
Fresh from qualifying for the Total Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Ethiopia and Sudan have improved in the latest FIFA rankings relased on Wednesday.
Although Uganda dropped by one place to 84th, but remained the best ranked in the Council of East and central African Football Associations (CECAFA) zone, four members in the region Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda and Kenya improved.
Kenya who are second placed in the CECAFA region improved by two places to 102nd, while Sudan who also improved by four places are in position 123.
Tanzania who played at the 2019 AFCON are placed fifth in the Zone but dropped by two places to 137th, while Ethiopia improved by six places to 140th place.
The 2019 AFCON runners-up Senegal remain 1st in Africa, but lose two places in the world ranking. They are now placed 22nd, while Tunisia is in 26th place and Nigeria improved by 4 places to 32nd.
Belgium maintained their top spot in the rankings with 1783 points, while France sit in second place and Brazil are third.
Ranking in CECAFA Zone
84 Uganda (1286.76 points)
102 Kenya (1205.26 points)
123 Sudan (1149.14 points)
129 Rwanda (1123.69 points)
137 Tanzania (1088.05 points)
140 Ethiopia (1079.41 points)
142 Burundi (1075.64 points)
169 South Sudan (984.19 points)
183 Djibouti (918.91 points)
197 Somalia (879.13 points)
203 Eritrea (885.56 points)
2026 AFCON U-17
Tanzania to battle Algeria in Africa Cup of Nations U-17 quarter final stage
The Serengeti Boys of Tanzania will face Algeria in the quarter final stage at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
After stopping Mozambique and Angola by a 3-0 goal margin in the first two matches of Group C, Tanzania lost the last match 2-1, but remained top of the log.
The Tanzania team that has already booked a slot for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026 will now take on Algeria in a quarter final match on May 24th. The winner will take on the winner between Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt at the semi final stage.
Elieneza Nsanganzelu, the Tanzania head coach said that they are happy to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup and now look forward to performing well in the knock out stage of the AFCON U-17.
“We have achieved the first mission and now we are targeting the second mission which is winning the AFCON U-17 title,” says Nsanganzelu.
In the other quarter final matches hosts Morocco will face Cameroon, while Senegal take on Mali.
CECAFA teams Uganda and Ethiopia will also have the opportunity of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup when they face Ghana and Mozambique respectively on May 23rd.
The top two teams in each of the four groups already earned direct qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026, while the four in the play-off battle for the remaining two places. A total of 10 teams will represent Africa at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026 in Qatar.
NEWS
Vipers SC retain StarTimes Uganda Premier League title
Vipers Sports Club are champions of the 2025/2026 StarTimes Uganda Premier League.
The Kitende based side defeated Maroons FC 3-0 in a match played at the Wankulukuku Stadium on Tuesday to clinch their eighth Premier League title.
Veteran Yunus Sentamu gave Vipers SC the lead, before Usama Arafat and Karim Watambala added to more goals to ensure Vipers SC clinched the title with one more match to be played.
The win and a goalless draw by closest challengers KCCA FC against URA FC ensured Vipers bagged yet another trophy as they now have 64 points from 29 matches.
In the other matches played on Tuesday army side UPDF settled for a goalless draw against Calvary FC, while Police FC and Entebbe UPPC also drew 1-1, Bidco FC and Kitara FC drew 1-1, while Express FC and Lugazi FC also ended 0-0
Vipers SC handled by Belgian Van Jacky Minnaert will now represent Uganda in the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
AFCON 2027 qualifiers
Sudan draw Ethiopia in 2027 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers
CECAFA teams Sudan and Ethiopia have been placed in Group J 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) PAMOJA qualifiers.
In the draw conducted at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday, the two CECAFA teams were placed alongside Senegal and Mozambique.
The draw was conducted by former African football stars Max-Alain Gradel (Cote d’Ivoire), William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), Essam El Hadary (Egypt) and Trésor Mputu (DR Congo).
Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will co-host the tournament from June 19 June to July 17, 2027. Co-hosts will take part in qualifiers but have secured their places as co-hosts, so one team from their pool will join them.
The first matches of the group qualifiers will kick-off in September, 2026.
Group D also has two CECAFA teams Kenya and Eritrea together with South Africa and Guinea. Somalia who are making a return to the group stage of the qualifiers after several years are placed alongside Ivory Coast, Ghana and The Gambia.
The 48 teams that will play in the qualifiers have been placed into 12 groups, with the top two in each pool advancing to the continental finals.
INTERNATIONAL FREINDLY
Kenya line-up Kyrgyzstan, Palestine International friendly matches
The national team of Kenya will play two International friendly matches against Kyrgyzstan and Palestine next month.
Under the watchful eyes of head coach Benni McCarthy, the Harambee Stars will line up against Palestine on June 3rd, and three days later face hosts Kyrgyzstan.
The two matches will be played during the June FIFA international window.
The technical bench of the team has today named the squad including five new call-ups; Deon Woodman (Wealdstone FC), Sammy Hena-Kamau (Hull City), Micah Obiero (Wealdstone FC), Sydney Agina (Stoke City) and goalkeeper Caleb Kramer (ADO Den Haag).
Although they are automatic qualifiers as co-hosts of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027, Kenya will also play in the qualifiers that kick-off in September 2026.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Byrne Omondi, Faruk Shikhalo, Caleb Kramer
Defenders: Erick Ouma, Stanley Wilson, Sylvester Owino, Frank Odhiambo, Alphonce Omija, Deon Woodman, Rooney Onyango, Sydney Agina
Midfielders: Richard Odada, Chris Erambo, Clarke Odour, Will Lenkupae, Austine Odhiambo, Zech Obiero
Attackers: Job Ochieng, Mohammed Bajaber, Ben Stanley, Sammy Hena-Kamau, Micah Obiero, Ryan Ogam, Lawrence Okoth
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