Kenya U15s footballers test waters in CECAFA championships

The tournament brings together the U15 boys’ and girls’ teams from the CECAFA region for a ticket to the CAF African Schools Football Championships.

Oliver Ochieng, Marabou News Agency

Kigali, Rwanda is set to host the 2026 CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers, from September 3-5, 2026.

The tournament will bring together the U15 boys’ and girls’ teams from the CECAFA region, including hosts Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya with the winners in both categories earning a ticket to the CAF African Schools Football Championship later this year.

Launched in 2022, the CAF African Schools Football Championship is Africa’s biggest schools football competition, bringing together young talent for education and skills development.

Speaking during a training session ahead of the CECAFA qualifiers, the Kenya U15 boys’ coach Patrick Nyale said his boys are ready to face their opponents.

“The boys are very motivated, very enthusiastic. I have a very good bunch. Camaraderie is fantastic, the bonding is fantastic, we are all looking forward to Rwanda. We have tried to get some bits perfected. I am glad for the several friendlies we have done. The boys have really shown a lot of progress,” the coach said.

Similarly, the Kenya U15 girls coach Mary Adhiambo expressed readiness for the tournament in Kigali, a city quickly transforming into a sporting hub in Africa.

“We have been working on endurance but not that much because if you see these girls, they have been in the school games last month, so, they had not lost fitness or endurance that much,” coach Adhiambo noted.

The official draw will be conducted on September 2, a day before the competition gets underway in Kigali.

Uganda is the most successful nation in the CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers, having won 3 titles in the boys’ and two in the girls’ categories since the inaugural edition in 2022.

Marabou News Agency

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