CECAFA Praises President Kagame for Longstanding Support of Regional Club Tournament

The President of the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam, has praised President Paul Kagame for his longstanding support of the CECAFA Kagame Cup, the regional club football tournament. This year’s edition will be hosted in Kigali from July 24 to August 7, 2026.

President Kagame has sponsored the tournament since 2002, contributing US$60,000 (over Frw 88.2 million) each year, with the prize money shared among the top three teams.

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CECAFA Commends Rwanda’s Commitment

Speaking during a press conference to officially launch the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup at Amahoro Stadium on July 22, the CECAFA President expressed his gratitude to the Rwandan Head of State for his unwavering commitment to the competition.

Paulos said: “Today is a special day as we bring the CECAFA Kagame Cup to the capital city, Kigali. First and foremost, on behalf of CECAFA, I would like to thank the Government of Rwanda, particularly the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, for his dedication, commitment, and continued support for this tournament that brings together clubs from across the CECAFA region.”

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Tournament Continues to Grow

He added that CECAFA aims to elevate the Kagame Cup to the same level as some of Africa’s most prestigious club competitions.

he said: “As we all know, this tournament has grown steadily over the years, and we are proud of the progress it has made. We are confident that it will continue to develop into one of the continent’s leading club competitions.”

CECAFA President Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam praised President Paul Kagame for his continued support of the regional club tournament for East and Central Africa.

CECAFA officials believe the return of prominent clubs, including Simba SC, which is participating again after an eight-year absence, reflects the tournament’s renewed appeal and growing stature. They also revealed plans to increase the tournament’s prize money in the future.

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Opening Matches

The opening matches will be played at Amahoro Stadium on Friday, with Vipers SC of Uganda facing Garde Républicaine of Djibouti at 3:00 p.m., before APR FC takes on Gor Mahia of Kenya at 7:00 p.m.