KIGALI — Some of North Africa’s most prominent football clubs could feature in the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup – major regional club football tournament that has been running for many years.
CECAFA is the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations, a regional football body affiliated with the Confederation of African Football.
The CECAFA Kagame Cup is the premier club football tournament organized by CECAFA. The tournament is called so because the Government of Rwanda became its principal sponsor in 2002 through President Paul Kagame.
We have established that Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi and Al Nasr Benghazi, along with Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, have expressed interest in participating in the regional tournament scheduled to take place in Rwanda.
Sources familiar with the preparations told KigaliToday.com that discussions with the clubs are at an advanced stage, with Al Ahly Benghazi and CS Sfaxien having already formally requested to join the competition.
If confirmed, their participation would mark a significant step in efforts by organizers to transform the CECAFA Kagame Cup from a predominantly East and Central African tournament into a broader continental competition capable of attracting some of Africa’s most recognizable clubs.
The interest from Libya is particularly notable given the country’s turbulent recent history. Since the 2011 overthrow and death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has experienced years of political instability, armed conflict, and competing administrations.
Despite the challenges, several Libyan clubs have remained competitive in continental football and continue to play an important role in the country’s sporting landscape.
Al Ahly Benghazi, one of Libya’s most successful clubs, is currently preparing for the Libyan Cup final against Al Ahly Tripoli, a side that includes Rwandan international Thierry Manzi.
Another Benghazi-based club, Al Nasr, is also among the teams being considered for participation.
Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, one of the continent’s most decorated clubs and a multiple-time CAF Confederation Cup winner, has likewise requested to take part, with negotiations reportedly nearing completion.
The growing football links come against the backdrop of broader ties between Rwanda and Libya.
Over the past several years, Rwanda has played a key role in international efforts to assist vulnerable migrants and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya through the Emergency Transit Mechanism established in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the African Union, and other international partners.
Under the arrangement, migrants and refugees rescued from difficult conditions in Libya are temporarily hosted in Rwanda while their cases are processed for voluntary return, local integration, or resettlement in third countries.
Thousands have passed through the programme since its establishment, making Rwanda an important humanitarian hub within Africa’s migration and refugee protection framework.
While the humanitarian initiative and football cooperation are separate developments, they reflect Rwanda’s increasing engagement with North Africa and its growing profile as a regional hub for diplomacy, international cooperation, and sporting events.
Speaking on Friday, Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) President Fabrice Shema Ngoga confirmed that Arab clubs had expressed interest in the tournament, although he did not identify them by name.
“This year, we have two Arab clubs that have requested to participate in the tournament,” he said.
Shema added that Rwanda plans to host the CECAFA Kagame Cup for the next three years and intends to strengthen the competition’s status as a premier preseason tournament for clubs preparing for new domestic and continental campaigns.
Kigali Today has also learned that organizers are considering adjusting the tournament calendar.
Although the competition is currently scheduled to run from July 19 to August 9, a slight postponement remains possible to allow clubs from countries such as Tanzania, whose domestic seasons conclude at the end of June, sufficient time to prepare.
Rwanda is currently expected to be represented by APR FC and Rayon Sports, although Kiyovu Sports and Police FC could also be included should organizers expand the number of host-nation participants.
The addition of clubs from Libya and Tunisia would significantly raise the tournament’s profile and underline Rwanda’s ambition to position the CECAFA Kagame Cup among Africa’s leading preseason club competitions.
