CECAFA

The Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Swahili: Baraza la Mashirikisho ya Mpira wa Miguu Afrika Mashariki na Kati, French: Conseil des Associations de Football d'Afrique de l'Est et Centrale, Arabic: مؤتمر جمعيات شرق ووسط أفريقيا لكرة القدم, Amharic: የምስራቅ እና መካከለኗኛሙ አፍሪካ እግር ኳስ ማህበራት ምክር ቤት; officially abbreviated as CECAFA) is an association of the football playing nations in mostly East Africa and parts of Central Africa. An affiliate of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), CECAFA is the oldest sub-regional football organisation on the continent.

CECAFA/Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations
Baraza la Mashirikisho ya Mpira wa Miguu Afrika Mashariki na Kati
Conseil des Associations de Football d'Afrique de l'Est et Centrale
مؤتمر جمعيات شرق ووسط أفريقيا لكرة القدم
የምስራቅ እና መካከለኛው አፍሪካ እግር ኳስ ማህበራት ምክር ቤት

CECAFA members
Formation	1926 (unofficial) 1973 (official)
Type	Sports organization
Headquarters	Nairobi, Kenya
Region served	East Africa
Membership	12 members Burundi Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Rwanda Somalia South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Uganda Zanzibar
Official language	Swahili, English, French
Executive Director	Auka Gecheo
Affiliations	CAF, FIFA
Website	www.cecafaonline.com

History

CECAFA was founded unofficially in 1927. The competition was sponsored by the major Nairobi-based soap-manufacturing firm Gossage, owned by the British Lever Brothers. Its formation is often misattributed to William Gossage, founder of the Gossage company. However, he died 50 years before the CECAFA was established.^[1]

The tournament was known as the "Gossage Cup" until the mid-sixties, when it was redubbed the "East African Challenge Cup".its consisted of only 12 teams

CECAFA's head offices are in Nairobi, Kenya. The first tournament was contested between Kenya and Uganda, which saw the Kenyan squad win the two legs 3–1 on aggregate.

Member associations

All associations that joined in 1973 were founding members of CECAFA.

Country	Year	Governing body
Burundi	1998	Football Federation of Burundi
Djibouti*	1994	Djiboutian Football Federation
Eritrea	1994	Eritrean National Football Federation
Ethiopia	1983	Ethiopian Football Federation
Kenya	1973	Football Kenya Federation
Rwanda	1995	Rwandese Association Football Federation
Somalia*	1973	Somali Football Federation
South Sudan	2012	South Sudan Football Association
Sudan*	1975	Sudan Football Association
Tanzania	1973	Tanzania Football Federation
Uganda	1973	Federation of Uganda Football Associations
Zanzibar	1973	Zanzibar Football Association

* Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) members are marked with an asterisk

Broadcasting rights

In 2007, television rights for the tournament were sold to GTV.^[2] Since 2009, broadcasting of CECAFA competitions has been taken over by SuperSport.^[3][4]

Competitions

See also: List of association football competitions and FIFA International Match Calendar

Current title holders

See also: Portal:Current events/Sports, 2025 in association football, 2025 in sports, and FIFA International Match Calendar

For events postponed or cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, see Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports.

Competition		Edition	Champions	Title	Runners-up		Next edition	Dates
National teams
Senior Challenge Cup		2019	Uganda	40°	Eritrea		TBD
U-23 Challenge Cup		2021	Tanzania	1°	Burundi		TBD
U-20 Championship		2024	Tanzania	3°	Kenya		TBD
U-18 Championship		2023	Uganda	1°	Kenya		TBD
U-17 Championship		2024	Uganda	4°	Tanzania		TBD
U-15 Championship		2023	Zanzibar	1°	Uganda
CECAFA African School Championship		2023	Royal Giants High School	1°	Geda Roble SS		2024
National teams (women)
Women's Championship		2022	Uganda	1°	Burundi		TBD
U-20 Women's Championship		2021	Ethiopia	1°	Uganda		TBD
U-18 Women's Championship		2023	Tanzania	1°	Uganda		TBD
U-17 Women's Championship		2019	Uganda	1°	Tanzania		TBD
Girls Schools Championship		2023	FT Fountain Gate	1°	Awaro SS		TBD
Club teams
Kagame Cup		2024	Red Arrows	1°	APR FC		TBD
Club teams (women)
CAF Women's Champions League CECAFA qualifiers		2024	CBE F.C.	1st	Kenya Police Bullets		2025

See also

• Football in Africa portal

• Confederation of African Football (CAF)
• West African Football Union (WAFU)
• Central African Football Federations' Union (UNIFFAC)
• Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA)
• Union of North African Football Federations (UNAF)

References

1. "pharmj.com". Archived from the original on 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
2. "CECAFA gets a boost from GTV". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
3. Patrick Korir (7 December 2009). "SuperSport airing CECAFA from quarters". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
4. Timothy Olobulu (29 June 2012). "CECAFA to be aired Live by SuperSport". MichezoAfrika.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2012.

External links

• Official website