CECAFA

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

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.

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

Current title holders

National teams
Competition	Edition	Champions	Title	Runners-up	Next edition	Dates
Senior Challenge Cup	2019	Uganda	40°	Eritrea	2024
U-23 Challenge Cup	2021	Tanzania	1°	Burundi	TBD
U-20 Championship	2022	Uganda	5°	South Sudan	TBD
U-18 Championship	2023	Uganda	1°	Kenya	TBD
U-17 Championship	2022	Somalia	1°	South Sudan	2024
U-15 Championship	2023	Zanzibar	1°	Uganda
CECAFA African School Championship	2023	Royal Giants High School	1°	Geda Roble SS	2023 August
National teams (women)
Women's Championship	2022	Uganda	1°	Burundi	2024
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	2023 August
Club teams
Kagame Cup	2021	Express FC	1°	Big Bullets FC	2024	9-21 Jul
Club teams (women)
CAF Women's Champions League CECAFA qualifiers	2022	Simba Queens FC	1st	She Corporate FC	2023 12-26 Aug

References

^ "pharmj.com". Archived from the original on 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
^ "CECAFA gets a boost from GTV". Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
^ Patrick Korir (7 December 2009). "SuperSport airing CECAFA from quarters". Futaa.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
^ 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.