The 2026 CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers will kick-off on September 3rd at two different venues in Kigali, Rwanda.
The Zonal qualifier tournament played for Under-15s for both Boys and Girls will climax on September 5th. In the draw conducted by the CECAFA Competitions Director, Yusuf Mossi at the FAWE Girls’ School in Gisozi on Wednesday, hosts Rwanda have been placed alongside Kenya Sudan and Tanzania in the Boys Group A.
Uganda, the 2025 winners in the Boys category have been placed in Group B alongside Somalia, South Sudan and Burundi.
“This Schools tournament started by the CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe was launched to give the youngsters opportunity to nature their talent by competing,” added Mossi.
The Girls category will play their matches at the FERWAFA Complex ground for the two days, while the Boys category play at the Kigali Pele Stadium. The final day of the tournament on September 5th will be staged at the Kigali Pele Stadium.
He made it clear that the top two teams from each group in each of the categories will qualify for the semi-final stage. The winners in the Boys and Girls categories will represent the CECAFA Zone at the CAF African Schools Football Championship continental stage.
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.
Boys
Group A: Rwanda, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania
Group B: Uganda, Somalia, South Sudan, Burundi
Girls
Group A: Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda
Group B: Tanzania, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia
