Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Al Merriekh and APR FC have failed to make it to the second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Sudan’s Al Merriekh failed to go past DR Congo’s Saint –Eloi Lupopo losing the first leg 1-0, and drawing goalless in the return played at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Libya on Saturday.

Rwanda Premier League champions APR FC also failed to go past reigning champions Pyramids FC from Egypt.

After losing the first leg 2-0 in Kigali, APR FC suffered a 3-0 defeat in the return leg played at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday. Mostafa Ziko, Ahmed Atef and Mohamed Hamdy netted the goals for the Egyptian side.

Seven teams from the CECAFA Zone have now progressed to the second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

The second preliminary round will see Burundi’s Aigle Noir face Al Ahly (Egypt), while Ethiopian Insurance (Ethiopia) will table reigning champions Pyramids FC (Egypt).

In a clash of CECAFA teams Kenya Police FC (Kenya) will take on Al Hilal SC (Sudan), Simba SC (Tanzania) will face Nsingizini Hotsurs (Zimbabwe), Young Africans SC (Tanzania) will face Silver Strikers FC (Malawi), while Uganda’s Vipers SC take on Power Dynamos from Zambia.

The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Patrice Motsepe has commended the CECAFA Zone for successfully hosting the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania hosted the CHAN tournament from August 2-30^th. All the three CECAFA members that hosted reached the quarter final stage.

Dr. Motsepe said this on October 4^th while meeting leaders from the CECAFA Zone in Kinsasha, DR Congo ahead of the CAF Ordinary General Assembly.

He credited the tournament for reviving football in East Africa and brought closer collaboration between Governments, Sponsors and the football supporters. 

The CECAFA leadership was led by Acting President, Alexandre Muyenge, who is also the President of the Burundi Football body.

The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will meet Presidents from the Council of East and central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) on Saturday in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Dr. Patrice Motsepe, the CAF President kick started the meetings with the CAF Zonal Unions on Friday with UNIFFAC and COSAFA.

The Zonal Union meetings will precede the 47th CAF Ordinary General Assembly slated for October 6th in Kinshasa.

Alexandre Muyenge, the CECAFA Acting President, and President of the Burundi FA will lead the Presidents from the CECAFA Zone at the meeting.

The meetings organized by CAF form an integral part of CAF’s ongoing commitment to strengthen collaboration and development across all regions of the continent.

“Dr. Motsepe’s participation underlines CAF’s dedication to engaging directly with Member Associations through their regional structures, addressing opportunities and challenges in the collective effort to accelerate the growth of African football,” says CAF.

The CECAFA Zone is composed of Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan and Zanzibar.  

Rwanda Premier League reigning champions APR FC have made a false start in the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Going into the first leg first preliminary match at the Kigali Pele Stadium against the defending champions Pyramids FC on Wednesday, the home side needed to secure a good result before the return leg in Cairo.

But the visiting Egyptian Premier League side ensured they picked a comfortable 2-0 win.

DR Congo forward Fiston Mayele scored in each half to silence the home crowd.

After a goalless first half where the two teams had some missed scoring chances, Mayele beat the APR defending line to send a low shot past goalkeeper Pierre Ishimwe.

APR FC brought the fresh legs of Mamadou Sy and Ugandan International Dennis Omedi, bit to no avail as the Pyramids FC defenders stood firm.

With the clock ticking away Mayele capitalized on a mistimed clearance by the APR FC defenders and raced in the box to score to make it 2-0 after 86 minutes.

APR FC now face a tall order when the two teams face-off again in the return leg on October 8^th in Cairo.

All the other first preliminary matches have been decided apart form the one between Pyramids FC and APR, and the one involving Saint-Eloi Lupopo and Sudan’s El Merriekh.