Uganda and Tanzania Victorious in CECAFA Qualifiers
Uganda and Tanzania have emerged as the winners of the CAF African Schools Football CECAFA qualifiers 2026. This marks a repeat of the 2025 edition, with Uganda claiming the Boys category title and Tanzania securing the Girls category silverware. The finals were contested at the Kigali Pele Stadium.
In the Boys final, Uganda defeated Rwanda with a 1-0 score. Kennedy Okwi scored the decisive goal for Uganda in the 39th minute. Richard Malinga, the coach for Uganda‘s team and a former Ugandan International, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, noting they won four matches and drew once throughout the tournament.
For the Girls final, Tanzania triumphed over Kenya with a 3-0 victory, successfully retaining their title. The goals for Tanzania were scored by Salah Msagala, Eva Maiope, and Anna Pascal. These results mean both winning teams will represent the CECAFA Zone at the continental level.
Tournament Highlights and Player Recognitions
The play-off matches for third place also saw significant action. In the Girls category, Uganda defeated Rwanda 2-0. In the Boys category, Tanzania secured a 2-0 win against South Sudan.
Individual awards were also presented during the awards ceremony held at the Kigali Pele Stadium. Tanzania‘s Debora Salala was named the best Girls player, recognized for her crucial role in her team’s trophy retention. Vincent Kizza Mawanda of Uganda was awarded the best Boys player for his outstanding performance.
Other notable individual accolades included Rukia Seleman from Tanzania and Stuart Mukasa from Uganda, who received the Best Goalkeeper Awards in the Girls and Boys categories, respectively. Kenya‘s Abigael Cheruto was the top scorer in the Girls category with nine goals, while Uganda‘s Kennedy Okwi was the top scorer for the Boys category. The Fairplay Award was jointly received by Uganda for the Girls category and Burundi for the Boys category.
Financial Incentives and Development Initiatives
Beyond the medals, the winning teams in each category received cash prizes. The champions were awarded US$100,000, the runners-up received US$75,000, and the third-placed teams were given US$50,000. These cash prizes, contributed by the Motsepe Foundation, are designated for development purposes within the respective schools, aiming to improve infrastructure such as classrooms, sports facilities, or clean water systems.
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) is also supporting grassroots football development by distributing 500 PUMA footballs to each CAF Member Association registered for the CAF African Schools Football Championship 2026/27 season. This initiative aligns with CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe‘s vision to expand access to football and provide resources for young people across Africa to participate in the sport.
Sarah Mukuna, CAF Director of Member Associations, emphasized that this investment extends beyond the competition itself, strengthening the foundations of school football at a national level and enabling more boys and girls to experience football in a structured environment. The goal is to ensure the impact of the CAF African Schools Football Championship is felt in schools and communities throughout Africa.
Pre-Tournament Workshops and Officials Present
Prior to the tournament, several capacity-building workshops were conducted at the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) Technical Centre. These workshops covered areas such as Young Reporters, Local Safeguarding, Young Coaches, Grassroots Football, and CAF D licence training. Shon Osimbo, a broadcast journalist from Kenya, expressed her positive impression of the young participants in the Young Reporters workshop.
The awards ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including 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. The tournament concluded on September 5th at the Kigali Pele Stadium.
Source: cecafaonline.com
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