Ethiopia to host 2021 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup

The Ethiopia Football Federation (EFF) has accepted to host the 2021 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup.

Members of the Council of East and Central African Football  Associations (CECAFA) made the decision during a meeting held at the Sofitel Hotel in Rabat, Morocco on Thursday ahead of the General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) taking place today.

“We deliberated well and members decided we have five tournaments taking place through the year,” CECAFA Executive Director Auka Gaceho confirmed.

While Ethiopia will host the Men’s Challenge Cup which will be an U-23 competition this time round, Djibouti will host the CECAFA Senior Women’s Challenge and Tanzania will stage the CECAFA Kagame Club Championship. Uganda will host the U-20 Women’s Challenge Cup and Kenya CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal Competition.

It was confirmed that Somalia will not participate in the Women’s Champions League qualifier, while all other member Associations other than Rwanda and Eritrea confirmed their participation

The meeting also resolved that all Club and Senior competitions will be staged between June and August when the Leagues are on a break. The Age grade competitions will be staged during School breaks.

“We are optimistic the region will have very successful tournaments during the year,” added Gacheo. The meeting was also attended by CECAFA President Wallace Karia and his Board members.

Because of the challenges of COVID-19, the region only held two tournaments last year, the U-20 Afcon and U-17 Afcon qualifiers in Tanzania and Rwanda respectively.

Hosts for 2021 tournaments

CECAFA U- 20 women’s Challenge Cup – Uganda

CECAFA Senior Women’s Challenge – Djibouti

CECAFA Kagame Club Championship – Tanzania CECAFA

CECAFA Men’s Challenge Cup –Ethiopia

CECAFA/CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal Competition – Kenya