Kenya and Rwanda are the two members from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Zone that have improved their ranking in the latest FIFA ranking released on April 4^th, 2024.

Although Uganda remained static at 92^nd in the world with 1242.15 points and top in the CECAFA Zone, Kenya climbed by four places to 107^th place in the world ranking and second in the Zone with 1191.24 points.

Kenya’s improvement comes after their recent International friendly matches were they defeated hosts Malawi 4-0 and Zimbabwe 3-1 and went on to win the 4-Nations tournament.

Rwanda also improved by two places to 131^st in the FIFA rankings and 5^th in the CECAFA Zone with 1112.44 points. Tanzania remained static at 119^th place and Sudan at 127 points.

Burundi who are placed sixth in the CECAFA Zone are ranked 140^th, Ethiopia 145^th, while South Sudan dropped by one place to 167^th place. Djibouti and Somalia are lowly ranked at 192 and 199 respectively, while Eritrea is unranked.

FIFA rankings for CECAFA members

Uganda – 92

Kenya – 107

Tanzania – 119

Sudan – 127

Rwanda – 131

Burundi – 140

Ethiopia – 145

South Sudan – 167

Djibouti – 192

Somalia – 199

Eritrea – Unranked

Guest side Tanzania kick started their 2024 COSAFA Beach Soccer Championship on a losing note as the competition started today in Durban, South Africa.

Handled by coach Boniface Pawasa Tanzania suffered a 3-2 defeat to Angola in the opening Group B match played at the South Beach Arena.

In the second Group B match North African guests Morocco humbled 2021 winners Mozambique. 5-2

The competition organized by the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) also saw Malawi defeat hosts South Africa 4-2 and Seychelles, the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup hosts edge Saudi Arabia 3-1 in Group A matches played.

Action continues on Monday with several games, before a rest day on Tuesday. The top two sides from each group will advance to the semi -final stage to be played on March 22, while the final will take place the next day.

The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has opened the bidding process for Member Associations that will be in position to host any tournament in the Zone this year.

Yussuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Director says the bidding process opened on February 1st, 2024 and ill close on February 16th.

He said the Competitions Committee chaired by Isayas Jira, also the President of the Ethiopia Football Federation (EFF) has sat in Nairobi, Kenya few days ago and drawn a competitions calendar for 2024.

Mossi made it clear that the four compulsory tournaments which will be staged include;  AFCON U-17 Boys qualifiers, AFCON U-20 Boys qualifiers, CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal qualifiers and the Africa Schools Football Championships Zonal qualifiers. The CECAFA U-20 Girls Championship and the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup are the other two tournaments on the calendar.

CECAFA will announce the host Member Associations during the non elective General Assembly slated for February 23rd, 2024 in Mombasa, Kenya.

The Assembly had originally been scheduled to take place February 16th, but a change was made since all Presidents of Member Associations will be attending meetings in Abidjan, Ivory coast to end February 14th, 2024.

CECAFA tournaments for 2024

– AFCON U-17 Boys qualifiers

– AFCON U-20 Boys qualifiers

– CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal qualifiers

– Africa Schools Football Championships Zonal qualifiers.

– CECAFA U-20 Girls Championship

– CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup

The non-elective General Assembly of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) will take place on 16^th, February, 2024 in Mombasa, Kenya.

Auka Gecheo, the CECAFA Executive Director on Tuesday communicated to all the 12 Member Associations about the development.

He noted that among other things the Assembly will receive, discuss and ratify the CECAFA competitions and the calendar for 2024/2025. Members of the Assembly will also receive and peruse the CECAFA financial report for the year 2023 among other things.

Among some of the competitions expected to take place in 2024 include the AFCON U-17 and AFCON U-20 Zonal qualifiers, the Zonal CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers, CECAFA Senior Women Championship and the Pan African Schools Football Championship Zonal qualifiers among others. Zanzibar hosted the last CECAFA General Assembly on 6^th January, 2023.

The 12 CECAFA members include; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan and Zanzibar.