NEWS
Nine teams to battle in CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup
Finally the regional CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup 2021 will take center stage in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia from July 18-31st.
The draw surpervised by the CECAFA Executive Director, Auka Gecheo pitted Uganda against Tanzania and guest side Democratic Republic of Congo in Pool A.
Hosts Ethiopia who have been preparing for over a month will face Burundi and Eritrea in Pool B, while Djibouti, South Sudan and Kenya battle in Pool C.
Uganda will face DR Congo in the opening match on July 1th, while Ethiopia face Eritrea in a Pool B match on the same day.
The best top teams in each of the groups will automatically qualify for the semi finals, while the best runner up from any of the three groups also gets to the last four. While the team that is classified in 9th position after the group stage will not play more games, the other teams classified 5th to 8th will also play in a mini contest to determine the rankings.
The semi finals will be played on July 28th, while the finals take centre stage on July 31st. All the matches will be played at the Bahir Dar Stadium.
“We are happy that finally our first tournament in 2021 is set to kick-off. We expect a very competitive competition,” said the CECAFA Executive Director Gecheo.
Pool A: Uganda, Tanzania, DR Congo
Pool B: Ethiopia, Burundi, Eritrea
Pool C: Djibouti, South Sudan, Kenya
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
Uganda Cranes attacking midfielder Allan Okello has completed a move to Morocco’s Premier League – Botola Pro side, AS FAR Rabat.
The 26-year old was unveiled by the Club on Friday. He joins the Moroccan side on a three year deal.
“I am very excited to join a big team like AS FAR. I promise to do my best to help the team to win titles,” added Okello.
Okello moves from Tanzania Premier League side Young Africans SC who he only joined late last year.
The midfielder delivered a commendable performance netting 14 goals and 8 assists in the seven months he spent with the Tanzanian Champions.
Before joining Young Africans SC, Okello also helped Vipers SC win a double in the 2024/2025 season.
Okello returns to North Africa having featured for Algeria’s Premier League side between 2020-2023.
In Uganda Okello made his breakthrough in School Football before joining Premier League side KCCA FC who he helped reach the group stage of the 2028/2029 CAF Champions League.
The attacking midfielder is also remembered for missing a penalty in a crucial group match against Tanzania at the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Gaadiidka FC are the 2025/2026 Somali Premier League champions.
In a deciding match played at the Mogadishu Stadium on Friday, Gaadiidka FC secured a goalless draw against third placed Dekedaha FC to finish top.
The draw saw Gaadiidka FC finish with 51 points, while Heegan FC came second with 50 points. The 2024/2025 winners Mogadishu City FC finished in 4th place with 42 points.
It is the second time Gaadiidka FC win the Somali Premier League after they first secured it in the 2021/2022 season.
Jubba FC and Gantaalaha FC that finished 12th and 11th respectively have been relegated to the lower Division.
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.
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