Simply days after internet hosting a profitable CECAFA Kagame Cup, Kigali is about to welcome East and Central Africa’s prime ladies’s golf equipment for the 2026 CAF Ladies’s Champions League CECAFA Qualifiers, scheduled for August 21-31.
The qualifiers shall be staged in Rwanda for the primary time, Rayon Sports activities WFC representing the hosts, becoming a member of 9 different taking part golf equipment from throughout the area.
All matches shall be performed at Kigali Pelé Stadium.
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The Rwandan champions head into the competitors with beneficial expertise after ending runners-up within the 2025 version in Kenya.
Instances Sport breaks down every thing it’s worthwhile to know forward of the match.
The format
The 2026 CAF Ladies’s Champions League CECAFA Qualifiers will characteristic a bunch stage adopted by the knockout rounds.
Ten golf equipment representing 10 CECAFA member associations will compete in three teams. The three group winners and the most effective second-placed staff will advance to the semi-finals.
The semi-final winners will then meet within the ultimate to find out the CECAFA regional champion.
The teams are as follows:
Group A: Rayon Sports activities (Rwanda), Yei Joint Stars (South Sudan), Mafunzo (Zanzibar)
Group B: Business Financial institution of Ethiopia FC (Ethiopia), Kawempe Muslim (Uganda), FC UJECO (Djibouti)
Group C: Simba Queens (Tanzania), Kenya Police Bullets (Kenya), High Women Academy (Burundi)
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Rwanda’s document within the competitors
Rwanda has participated within the CECAFA qualifiers since 2022, however no Rwandan membership has but certified for the CAF Ladies’s Champions League finals by means of the regional route.
AS Kigali WFC have been the primary Rwandan membership to take part within the qualifiers. They reached the semi-finals in 2022, the place they suffered a 5-1 defeat to eventual champions Simba Queens. AS Kigali then misplaced 3-1 to Business Financial institution of Ethiopia within the third-place play-off to complete fourth.
AS Kigali returned for the 2023 version however didn’t progress from the group stage.
Rayon Sports activities WFC took over as Rwanda’s representatives in 2024. The Blues additionally didn’t advance from the group stage of their first look earlier than making a major enchancment in 2025.
Rayon Sports activities reached the ultimate final yr, the place they misplaced to JKT Queens to complete runners-up. That is still the most effective efficiency by a Rwandan membership within the competitors.
What do champions get?
The winner of the CAF Ladies’s Champions League CECAFA Qualifiers earns the area’s sole ticket to the inaugural CAF Ladies’s Champions League group stage.
The CECAFA champions will be part of the opposite 5 zonal champions from throughout Africa — WAFU Zone A, WAFU Zone B, COSAFA, UNAF and UNIFFAC — on the continental match.
Just one membership from the CECAFA area will due to this fact advance to the CAF Ladies’s Champions League finals.
For Rayon Sports activities, profitable the match in Kigali would make historical past by changing into the primary Rwandan membership to qualify for the continental competitors by means of the CECAFA route.
There may be at present no official prize-money bundle for this match.
Tips on how to observe the matches
No official broadcaster has to date been confirmed for the 2026 qualifiers. Nonetheless, negotiations with potential broadcasters, together with Rwanda Broadcasting Company (RBA) and Azam TV, are underway, in response to a supply from the Rwanda FA.
