CECAFA
Football organisation in East Africa
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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, Somali: CECAFA/Guddiga Kubadda Cagta Bariga iyo Bartamaha Afrika,Tigrinya: ቤት ምኽሪ ማሕበራት ኩዕሶ እግሪ ምብራቕን ማእከላይን ኣፍሪቃ 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.
1973 (official)
| |
 CECAFA members | |
| Formation | 1926 (unofficial) 1973 (official) |
|---|---|
| Type | Sub confederation |
| Headquarters | Nairobi, Kenya |
Region served | East Africa Horn of Africa |
| Membership | |
Official language | Swahili, English, French |
President |  Eritrea Paulos Weldehaimanot |
| Affiliations | CAF, FIFA |
| Website | www |
CECAFA Address/Location
- No 209/4987 Amber House Ground Floor ,Tom Mboya Street,Nairobi,Kenya,East Africa
History
The competition that would later evolve into CECAFA began in 1926 with the establishment of an annual match known as the Gossage Cup, making it the oldest international football tournament in Africa. The first recorded contest took place that year, with Kenya emerging victorious over Uganda in a replay after the initial match ended in a draw.[1]
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.[2]
Tanganyika (present-day mainland Tanzania) joined in 1945, and Zanzibar followed in 1949, expanding the field to four participating teams over time.[1]
The tournament was known as the "Gossage Cup" until the 1960s, when it was redubbed the "East African Challenge Cup". This version of the tournament continued until 1971, after which the competition was reconstituted under the banner of the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup. The organizational body was formally established as a regional football association in 1973.[3]
CECAFA's head offices are in Nairobi, Kenya, under the governance of the Council, which is affiliated with both CAF and FIFA.[3][4]
Member associations
All associations that joined in 1973 were founding members of CECAFA.
* Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) members are marked with an asterisk
New members
Somaliland SMD
Somaliland Football Association plans to join CECAFA with FIFA membership In coming years
Broadcasting rights
In 2007, television rights for the tournament were sold to GTV Since 2009, broadcasting of CECAFA competitions has been taken over by South Africa Broadcaster SuperSport
Kit Manufacturing
Competitions
Current title holders
| 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 | 2025 | Tanzania |
2° | Uganda |
TBD | |||
| U-15 Championship | 2023 |  Zanzibar |
1° | Uganda |
||||
| CECAFA African School Championship | 2023 | Royal Giants High School |
1° |  Geda Roble SS |
2024 | |||
| CECAFA Beach Soccer Championship | 2025[5] | |||||||
| 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 | |||
