Sudan top sides Al Hilal SC and Al Merrikh SC have kick started their 2026/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League campaigns with wins in the first leg first preliminary round.

Al Hilal SC, quarter finalists last season collected a 2-0 win away to Burundi’s Aigle Noir at the national Stadium in Bujumbura.

Yasser Al Shahrani and Salim Adams scored in each half to ensure the Sudan team take the advantage back to Kigali where the return leg will be played next weekend.

Another Sudan side Al Merrikh SC also defeated Power Dynamos FC (Zambia) 1-0 in the first leg played on Saturday at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda. Bashir Bangoura converted a penalty after 39 minutes for the only goal of the match.

In other matches played on Saturday, South Sudan Premier League reigning champions El Merriekh SC Bentiu defeated Heegan FC (Somalia) 1-0 wit Tot Maet scoring the lone goal.

Ethiopia’s Sidama Bunna FC collected an away goalless draw away to Aigions FC N’Djamena of Chad, while Uganda’s Vipers SC were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania). Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC also picked a 1-1 draw away to Gaborone United in Botswana.

On Friday Zanzibar’s KVZ FC suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Al Swehly SC in Libya, while AS Du Port from Djibouti also lost 2-1 to Zamalek in a match played in Cairo.

Action continues on Sunday with Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC hosting Pyramids FC (Egypt), while Tanzania’s Simba SC also play away to Mighty Wanderers FC in Malawi.

Collected CAF Champions League results for CECAFA teams

Al Swehly 1 KVZ FC 0

AS Du Port 1 Zamalek 2

Aigle Noir 0 Al Hilal SC 2

El Merreikh SC Bentiu 1 Heegan FC 0

Vipers SC 1 FC Nouadhibou 1

Al Merriekh SC 1 Power Dynamos 0

Aigions FC N’Djamena 0 Sidama Bunna FC 0

Gaborone United 1 Young Africans 1

Tanzania’s Debora Salala and Vincent Kizza Mawanda have been voted the best players in the just concluded CAF African Schools Football Zonal qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda.

Salala was voted best Girls players after playing a pivotal role in helping here team retain the trophy, while Mawanda was also outstanding for Uganda in the Boys category.

During the Awards ceremony at the climax of the tournament at the Kigali Pele Stadium on Saturday, the duo received their separate Awards courtesy of CAF and sponsors TotalEnergies  

Tanzania’s Rukia Seleman and Uganda’s Stuart Mukasa also scooped the Best goalkeeper’s Awards in the Girls and Boys categories respectively.

Kenya’s Abigael Cheruto who netted nine goals picked the Top scorer’s Award for the Girls category, and Uganda’s Kennedy Okwi was the top scorer for the Boys category. Uganda and Burundi scooped the Fairplay Award for the Girls and Boys categories respectively.

The Awards Ceremony was graced by the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) 2nd Vice President Richard Mugisha, Uganda Football Federation (FUFA) 1st Vice President Justus Mugisha, CECAFA Interim Executive Director Jean Sseninde and a representative from the Sports Ministry in Rwanda, Fabrice Uwayo among others.

Uganda and Tanzania have emerged winners of the CAF African Schools Football CECAFA qualifiers 2026.

It was a repeat of the 2025 edition as Uganda won the Boys category and Tanzania lifted the Girls category silverware.

The Ugandan team defeated a hard fighting Rwanda side 1-0 in the Boys final, while Tanzania saw off Kenya 3-0 in the Girls final all played at the Kigali Pele Stadium on Saturday.

Kennedy Okwi netted the lone goal for Uganda after 39 minutes to silence the home side.

“I am very happy that my team has worked hard won four matches and drew once in all the matches we played in the tournament,” said a happy coach of Uganda’s team Richard Malinga, a former Ugandan International.

In the earlier Girls final Salah Msagala, Eva Maiope and Anna Pascal scored to ensure Tanzania saw off Kenya and retain their title.

In the Play-off matches to decide which teams finish third,  Uganda defeated Rwanda 2-0 in the Girls category, while Tanzania stopped South Sudan 2-0 in the Boys category.

Besides the medals the winners in each category received cheques worth US$100,00, runners-up US$75,000 and third placed US$50,000. The cash prizes contributed by the Motespe Foundation is earmarked for development purposes in the different schools.

The Awards Ceremony was graced by the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) 2^nd Vice President Richard Mugisha, Uganda Football Federation (FUFA) 1^st Vice President Justus Mugisha, CECAFa Interim Executive Director Jean Sseninde and a representative from the Sports Ministry in Rwanda, Fabrice Uwayo among others.

Hosts Rwanda will face Uganda in the Boys final at the on-going CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers in Kigali.

After topping Group A in the earlier stage, Rwanda battled to a goalless draw in the allotted 40 minutes against South Sudan in the semi final played at the FERWAFA Technical Center ground on Friday.

Rwanda eventually sailed through 8-7 on penalty shootouts to send the home fans cheering.

They will now face Uganda in the final on Saturday. Uganda who won the title last year edged Tanzania 3-1 in the first semi final match with Kenneth Okwi netting a brace and Joshua Agaba also on the score sheet for Uganda. Is-haka Mpemba scored for Tanzania.

In the Girls category the 2025 winners Tanzania defeated Uganda 2-0 in the first semi-final match played at the Kigali Pele Stadium. Debora Salala and Salah Msagala scored the goals.

The second semi-final match ended in a draw, but Kenya were a better side in spot kicks winning 5-4.

Action returns at the Kigali Pele Stadium on Saturday with the play-offs for third place taking place first as Uganda face Rwanda in the Girls category, and Tanzania battle South Sudan in the Boys category.

The finals will see Tanzania take on Kenya in the Girls final, and Uganda face Rwanda in the Boys final.

The winners in each category will take US$100,000, runners-up US$75,000, and the third placed team US$50,000.

The tournament supported by the Motsepe Foundation earmarks the cash prizes won by the best teams to improve school infrastructure, such as building classrooms, upgrading sports facilities, or installing clean water systems.