The CECAFA Pre-CHAN tournament will officially kick off on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at the Black Rhino Academy Stadium in Karatu, Tanzania, with hosts Tanzania taking on regional rivals Uganda in the opening match.
This comes after Kenya’s unexpected withdrawal from the tournament earlier in the day, despite the Harambee Stars squad already having arrived in Karatu. The competition will now proceed as a three-nation contest featuring Tanzania, Uganda, and reigning CHAN champions Senegal.
Speaking ahead of the kickoff, Taifa Stars head coach Hemed Suleiman Ali said the matches will be crucial for assessing his squad ahead of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, set to take place from August 2 to 30, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
“Playing against Uganda and Senegal will give us a good test and allow us to assess our strengths and weaknesses before CHAN,” said coach Hemed.
Uganda Cranes head coach Geoffrey Massa echoed similar sentiments, describing the CECAFA Pre-CHAN tournament as a vital platform for tactical and mental preparation.
“It is unfortunate Kenya decided to withdraw after the team had even arrived in Karatu. But we shall go ahead with the matches. This will give our teams a good platform to test themselves before CHAN,” added CECAFA Executive Director Auka Gecheo.
The revised match schedule will now include:
- July 22: Tanzania vs Uganda
- July 24: Uganda vs Senegal
- July 27: Tanzania vs Senegal
The tournament was intended as a key warm-up event for East and Central African teams preparing for CHAN 2024. Despite Kenya’s withdrawal, CECAFA insists the matches will go ahead to provide participating teams with competitive exposure before the continental showpiece next month.
The CHAN tournament is reserved for players active in their respective national leagues and is considered one of CAF’s most important competitions for talent development.
