Rwanda’s top clubs APR FC and Rayon Sports have learned their opponents for the group stage of the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup, with both teams set to face strong regional sides in the tournament scheduled to be held in Rwanda later this month.
The draw held on Friday, July 10, 2026, placed defending Rwanda Premier League champions APR FC in Group A alongside Uganda’s Vipers SC, Kenya’s Gor Mahia, and Djibouti’s FC Garde Republicaine.
Rayon Sports, Rwanda’s second representative in the competition, was drawn into Group C, where they will compete against Sudanese powerhouse Al Hilal SC, Kenya’s Tusker FC, and KVZ from Zanzibar.
The tournament will run from July 24 to August 8, 2026, with matches set to be played at Amahoro Stadium and Kigali Pele Stadium. It marks the return of the CECAFA Kagame Cup to Rwanda for the first time since 2016.
The draw ceremony was led by former Rwanda national team captain Haruna Niyonzima, who guided the allocation of the 12 participating clubs into three groups of four teams each.
Under the competition format, the three group winners will automatically advance to the semi-finals, while the best-performing second-placed team will complete the last-four lineup.
In Group B, Tanzania’s Simba SC and Singida Black Stars were drawn alongside South Sudan’s Jamus SC, which features Rwandan midfielder Kevin Muhire, and Somalia’s Mogadishu City.
The CECAFA Kagame Cup brings together leading clubs from East and Central Africa and remains one of the region’s most prestigious club football competitions. The 2026 edition is expected to attract significant attention as Rwanda hosts the tournament featuring some of the region’s biggest football names.
