NEWS
President Ruto thanks CAF for picking East Africa to host 2027 Africa Cup of Nations
The President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto has thanked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for giving East Africa the opportunity to host the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Ruto was speaking before the start of the CAF Executive Committee meeting at the Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi on Monday morning.
Few months ago CAF announced that the PAMOJA bid of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya had won the bid to host the 2027 AFCON.
The Kenyan President made it clear that as East Africans they are happy that CAF has given them the opportunity to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027. Ruto assured the CAF Exco that for starters the Kasarani Stadium and Nyayo Stadium will be ready by the end of this year for TotalEnergies African Nations Championships 2025,
“By allowing us Kenya to hosts AFCON, you have given us a brand new Stadium without knowing. This will help us create more jobs and many other opportunities. Dr Patrice and your team let me assure you that I will always be available when needed,” added President Ruto.
He also made it clear that there are things that we Africans can do better as Africans inorder to elevate each other.
Dr. Patrice Moptsepe on behalf of CAF thanked the President of Kenya for hosting them in Nairobi. On Sunday the CAF President also had the opportunity to inspect Kasarani, Nyayo and Talanta Stadiums to check on the construction progress ahead of CHAN 2025 and AFCON 2027 finals that East Africa will host.
Tanzanian International Alphonce Mabula Msanga has joined Algerian Premier League giants JS Kabylie.
The defensive midfielder who was impressive for the national team at the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has signed a three year contract.
He joins the Tizi Ouzou based club as a free agent after leaving Azerbaijani side Şamaxı FK.
The 23-year old had been strongly linked with Tanzanian champions Young Africans Sports Club and another Algerian side USM Alger.
Mabula accumulated 353 minutes during the 2025 AFCON featuring with good performances against Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda and hosts Morocco. He helped Tanzania reach the round of 16 for the first time.
The draw for the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA 2026 qualifiers 2026 has been conducted on Monday at the Kigali Pele Stadium in Rwanda.
Hosts Tanzania have been placed in Group A that will also have Ethiopia and Rwanda.
The tournament will take place September 15-25th at the newly renovated Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
In the draw conducted by the CECAFA Competitions Manager, Yusuf Mossi and assisted by Amir Hassan, Uganda who finished runners-up in the last qualifier will face Sudan and Djibouti in Group B.
Group C will also have some tight contests as South Sudan is placed alongside Kenya and Burundi.
“The nine teams will tussle it out in the group stages and the top team from each of the three groups will automatically qualify for the semi-final together with the best second placed team,” said Mossi.
The best two teams at the Zonal qualifier will represent the CECAFA Zone at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026.
Groups
A: Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda
B: Uganda, Sudan, Djibouti
C: South Sudan, Kenya, Burundi
CA U-20 Africa Cup of Nations CECAFA qualifiers
Nine teams for CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations CECAFA qualifiers
Nine teams have registered to take part in the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers.
The regional qualifier will take place September 15-25th,2026 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Manager confirmed that the nine teams have entered, and only Eritrea and Somalia will miss out.
“The draw for the competition will take place on August 31st at the Kigali Pele Stadium in the Rwanda capital Kigali at 10.30am. We shall have three groups with three teams each. The top team in each group and the best second placed team from any group will qualify for the semi-final stage,” added Mossi.
He further explained that the best two teams will qualify to represent the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Zone at the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Tanzania are the defending champions after defeating Kenya 2-1 in the final during the 2024 Zonal qualifiers held at the KMC Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Eight teams from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) have been drawn for the TotalEnergies U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifiers.
In the draw conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Egypt on Tuesday, the eight teams have all been drawn to start in the first round.
Kenya have drawn Tanzania, while Djibouti takes on South Sudan. The other fixtures will see Ethiopia take on Uganda, and Rwanda battle Sudan. The first leg matches of the first round will be played on September 28th, while the return legs will take place October 6th.
The winner between Ethiopia and Uganda over two legs will qualify to face Morocco in the second round of the qualifiers in November this year.
Senegal will await to face the winner between Djibouti and South Sudan in the second round, while the winner between Kenya and Tanzania will line-up against Cote D’Ivoire in the next round. The winner between Rwanda and Sudan will take on Cameroon in the second round.
A total of 43 nations will be engaged in the U-23 AFCON qualifiers, with hosts Egypt automatically qualified for the finals in 2027.
The remaining 42 teams will compete for seven places at the continental showpiece through three rounds of home-and-away qualifying ties that end in March 2027.
First round matches for CECAFA teams
Kenya Vs Tanzania
Djibouti Vs South Sudan
Ethiopia Vs Uganda
Rwanda Vs Sudan
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