CECAFA Cup draw goes ahead despite move of tournament date and nation withdrawals

[Deeq A.]

17th November 2017

November 17 – The draw for the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA)  Senior Challenge Cup was held on Thursday whilst the tournament, to be held in Kenya, has lost two of the original participants (Somalia and Sudan) and been put back until December 3-17.

The ten teams left to compete in the trophy were divided into two groups with Libya, one of the two guest teams in the tournament, drawn together with Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zanzibar in the ‘Group of Death’ – Group A.

The other tournament guest Zimbabwe will play in Group B against current holders Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

Organisers said Somalia had withdrawn due to ongoing internal conflict and Sudan had withdrawn as the tournament would interfere with their domestic league programme.

The tournament will provide an opportunity for Kenya to restore some of its tattered reputation after the country was stripped of the CHAN 2018 tournament hosting due to failure to prepare stadiums on time.

The tournament, which has now been delayed for the second time, will be played in Kisumu, Kakamega and Nakuru Counties in the Moi, Bukhungu and Afraha stadia and will be broadcast by pay-TV channel Kwese Free Sport.