Kenya stripped of hosting rights, pull out of CECAFA U-18 Women’s Championship

Photo credit: FKF

FOOTBALL Kenya stripped of hosting rights, pull out of CECAFA U-18 Women’s Championship

Mark Kinyanjui 11:57 - 17.07.2023

The tournament was scheduled to take place in Kenya before being canceled, but CECAFA have now decided to move it to Tanzania.

The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has reversed its decision to initially cancel the CECAFA U-18 Women’s Championship, instead now opting to move it from Kenya to Tanzania.

On Monday 17 July, CECAFA Executive Director Auka Gecheo confirmed that the tournament will now be taking place from Tuesday 25 July to Monday 7 August in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Kenya was meant to host the Championship from June 29th to July 11th in Nairobi, but the competition was pushed further ahead due to a delay in funding.

However, after CECAFA members met in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire last week on the sidelines of the CAF Ordinary Assembly, it was decided that the Championship be hosted by Tanzania at the Chamazi Stadium.

The teams expected to participate include; Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Zanzibar. Auka said Kenya will not take part in the Championship because of ongoing school games and later examinations around the same period.

After the CECAFA U-18 Women’s Championship ends, the Zonal CAF Women’s Champions League qualifier will take place in Uganda from August 12-30th.

The other tournaments expected to take place in the 2023 season include the CECAFA U-18 Boys Championship, the CECAFA U-15 Boys Championship, the CECAFA Kagame Cup, and the CECAFA U-23 Championship.

The entire junior starlets set up, including both players and the technical staff, were released from camp on June 30, shortly after taking part in a warm-up match against Mathare United women.