Teams from the CECAFA Zone been busy during the pre-season with several build-up matches preparing ahead of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup

Sudan’s El Merriekh played in the Value Jet Cup in Ogun State in Nigeria where they bowed out at the semi-final stage.

After missing the regional Dar Port Kagame Cup, El Merriekh who will face Libya’s Al-Nasr in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions 1st preliminary round opted to play in the pre-season tournament in Nigeria where they beat Remo Stars B and Shooting Stars, and lost to Ikorodu City in the group stage. They went on to suffer defeat 3-2 in penalty shoot-outs to eventual winners Remo Stars A after a 1-1 draw in the semis.

Azam FC who pitched camp in Morocco for the pre-season started with a build-up match in Zanzibar against Zimamoto FC that they won 4-0, and during the pre-season camp in Morocco beat US Yakoub Al Mansour 3-0, and settled for a 1-1 draw against Union Touarga. They went on to suffer a 4-1 defeat to top Moroccan Premier League side, Wydad AC. They went on to defeat Rwanda’s Rayon Sport FC 1-0 last Saturday in Kigali in a match played to celebrate Rayon Sport Day.

Youssou Dabo, the Azam FC head coach said after the match in Kigali that the pre-season where the team has played several matches has prepared them well ahead of the busy season. Azam FC will face Rwanda Premier League champions APR FC in the TotalEnergies CAF 1^st preliminary round.

However, APR FC have also been busy through-out the pre-season as they played five matches in the CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup where they lost to guest side Red Arrows FC from Zambia in the final. The Rwanda army side also had another opportunity last Saturday when they lost 2-0 in Dar es Salaam to Simba FC who were celebrating Simba Day at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Sudan’s Al Hilal who played five matches in CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup where they finished third are also in Tunisia where they have lined up friendly matches against EGS Gafsa, ES Sahel, Stade Tunisien and CS Sfaxien.

Florent Ibenge, head coach of Al Hilal told cecafaonline that the CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup in Dar es Salaam gave them a very good test as they prepare for the 2024/2025 season. “The tournament gave us the opportunity to try out several aspects and we shall add with more games while in Tunisia,” added Ibenge whose team will face another Libya side Al-Ahly Benghazi in the TotalEnegries CAF Champions League 1^st preliminary round.

Before stopping Red Arrows FC 2-1 on Sunday to celebrate Young Africans Day in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC during their pre-season tour of South Africa lost 2-1 defeat to Germany Bundesliga side, FC Augsbury, and recovered to stop South Africa Premier League side Galaxy FC 1-0. They went on to wallop another South African side Kaizer Chiefs 4-0 to win the Toyota Cup.

The other teams that participated in the CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup and tested their teams include SC Villa (Uganda), Gor Mahia FC (Kenya), Dekadaha FC (Somalia) and Zanzibar’s JKU SC.

Vital’O are the 2023/2024 Burundi Primus Premier League champions.

Coach Parris Sahabo’s team will now represent Burundi in the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions league.

Sahabo’s team finished with 72 points from 30 matches played, while Flambeau du Centre who put up a good show came second with 69 points.

” We are very happy that after hard work through out the season we have lifted the title and can now play at continental level, ” says Vital’O coach Sahabo.

Vital’O who who had last lifted the Burundi Primus Premier League title in the 2015/2016 season have won the title a record 21 times. Inter FC have lifted the title 9 times, while Bumamuru FC only recorded it once in the 2022/2023 season.

The other Premier League that has been decided in the CECAFA Zone is Rwanda where APR FC emerged champions.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) General Secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba has said they are pleased with the way CECAFA is carrying out it’s duties to develop football in the Zone.

Véron Mosengo-Omba said this last Friday after attending the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) non-elective General Assembly at the Pride Inn Paradise Hotel in Mombasa, Kenya.

The CAF General Secretary who stated that they have increased from US$500,000 to US$750,000 that Zones will be getting every year also thanked CECAFA for inviting him and other members of CAF and FIFA to their Assembly in Mombasa.

“CECAFA Assembly was very organized and successful. Football does not start in Cairo at the CAF headquarters, but in the Zones, and we are happy with what CECAFA is doing,” added Mosengo-Omba.

He made it clear that CECAFA is one of the most pro-active Zones in the continent with regular General Assemblies, regularly holding competitions and handling their books of accounts well,

“ I am very impressed with CECAFA and I hope they get better and better for the betterment of football in the Zone,” added Véron Mosengo-Omba.

The other CAF officials who attended the CECAFA General Assembly included; Sarah Mukuna (Director of Member Associations), Genan Korra (Head of Zonal Union Affairs) and the Director of Legal Affairs, Felix Majani.

The Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sport in Kenya, Ababu Namwamba has said they are prepared to successfully host two CECAFA tournaments.

Namwamba was speaking this morning during a press conference held at his office at Talanta Plaza in Nairobi ahead of the CECAFA U-18 Boys Championship to take place November 25th to December 8th, 2023 in the towns of Kisumu and Kakamega.

” We are prepared to host successful CECAFA U-18 Boys Championship and the Pan Africa Schools tournament. Secondly we wish to rally fans to Bukhungu and Kisumu Stadium to support their team, ” added Namwamba.

He made it clear that Kenya’s hosting and participation is intentional and in sync with government manifesto of attracting and hosting elite competition to develop talent and promote Kenya as a destination of choice.

Nick Mwendwa, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President encouraged fans to attend the matches to support the boys. He added the U-18 Camp at Kasarani had 45 players and a final squad was selected ahead of the opening group A match on Sunday against Sudan.

The Executive Director of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), Auka Gecheo thanked Kenya for accepting to host the CECAFA U-18 Boys Championship and the Pan Africa Schools tournament.

” We appreciate the commitment of the Ministry of Youth and Sport Cabinet Namwamba,  and our partners FKF in hosting two CECAFA tournaments this year, ” added Gecheo.

He made it clear that CECAFA works hard to offer platforms for all member associations to prepare and compete at the continental and global stage. ” This is CECAFA’s 5th tournament this year and we are delighted to be back again in Kenya, ” he added. Kenya last hosted a CECAFA tournament in 2021, the Zonal CAF Women’s Champions League.