Rayon Sports Fc players celebrating a goal scored by Mutsinzi Ange on Tuesday at Stade de Kigali as the 2019 Peace Cup got underway
The Azam Rwanda Premier League champions Rayon Sports FC have been drawn against former CAF Champions league winners TP Mazembe of DR Congo in a tough Group A pool of the 2019 CECAFA Kagame Cup which kicks-off on July 6, 2019 in Rwanda.
Besides Rayon Sports FC and TP Mazembe, Group A is also composed of Tanzania’s KMC and Atlabara FC from South Sudan.
Reigning champions Azam FC are placed in Group B alongside 2018 Rwanda Peace Cup winners Mukura VS, Football Kenya Federation Shield champions Bandari FC and Reigning Startimes Uganda Premier League Champions KCCA FC.
Three-time CECAFA Kagame Cup winners APR FC are relatively in an easy Group C alongside Uganda’s newly promoted Premier League side and Stanbic Cup winners Proline Football Club, Zambia’s Green Buffaloes & and Somalia’s Heegan FC.
Group D is composed of Kenya’s giants Gor Mahia, DR Congo’s DC Motema Pembe, Zanzibar’s KMKM and AS Ports of Djibouti.
The region’s oldest continental club championship is slated to start on July 6 at Stade amahoro. Two teams from each group advance to the quarter finals. Fixtures are set to be released next week.
Addressing the media in today’s briefing, Cecafa General Secretary Nicholas Musonye said, “This is a historical event in the history of CECAFA because we have a record of 16 clubs participating in this championship”.
“CECAFA takes this opportunity to thank our Patron HE President Paul Kagame and the people of Rwanda for standing with us for the last 20 years. We also express our gratitude to HE President Kagame for enabling Rwanda to have enough infrastructures to host a tournament of this magnitude.”
“CECAFA also recognizes the efforts HE the president is doing to create a peaceful environment within the region that has seen clubs from Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia take part in this special competition. Many clubs from across Africa have requested to take part in this event but we have restricted the number,”
“In the spirit of sharing Rwanda’s Liberation struggle and creating a prosperous and harmonious nation, CECAFA together with hosts FERWAFA have spread this year’s competition to three venues across Rwanda so that people in rural areas can be able to see our clubs in action.”
Musonye further added that CECAFA and FERWAFA are putting everything in place to ensure that a credible event befitting the occasion is organised.
He thanked Azam TV and the Government of Rwanda for supporting the event which will be held in Kigali, Rubavu and Huye. The matches will be shown live by Azam TV.
The winner of the annual tournament stands to pocket $30,000 (Rwf. 27 million) in prize money while runners up will receive $20,000 (Rwf. 18 million) and $10,000 (Rwf. 9 million) respectively.
Cecafa Kagame Cup Groups
Group A: Rayon Sports FC, TP Mazembe, KMC, Atlabara
Group B: Azam FC, Mukura VS, Bandari FC, KCCA
Group C: APR FC, Proline FC, Green Buffaloes & Heegan FC
Group D: Gor Mahia, DCMP, KMKM & AS Ports
