The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has confirmed reigning CHAN champions Senegal as a late addition to the CECAFA Four Nations Pre-CHAN Tournament, replacing Congo Brazzaville ahead of the competition set to run from July 21 to 27 in Karatu Stadium, Arusha region, Tanzania.
CECAFA Competitions Director Yusuf Mossi announced the change on Thursday, noting that Congo Brazzaville withdrew due to logistical difficulties. He emphasized that Senegal’s inclusion will significantly raise the competitive standard of the tournament, particularly for East African teams preparing for the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“It is unfortunate Congo Brazzaville withdrew because of some logistical challenges, but having Senegal come in to take part will give our teams Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania a real test of a team from another Zone,” said Mossi.
The tournament serves as a critical warm-up for CHAN-bound teams. All CECAFA nations heading to CHAN—excluding Sudan, whose domestic league is still ongoing—will feature in the round-robin competition, giving coaches a chance to assess player readiness and build match fitness.
“It is very good that this tournament is played because it will give coaches chances to test several players and also get teams to gain a lot of match fitness because most of the leagues ended several weeks ago,” Mossi added.
Fixtures:
• July 21: Kenya vs Uganda
• July 22: Tanzania vs Senegal
• July 24: Senegal vs Uganda; Tanzania vs Kenya
• July 27: Kenya vs Senegal; Uganda vs Tanzania
