# CECAFA

The Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Swahili: Baraza la Mashirikisho ya Mpira wa Miguu Afrika Mashariki na Kati, French: Conseil des Associations de Football d'Afrique de l'Est et Centrale, Arabic: مؤتمر جمعيات شرق ووسط أفريقيا لكرة القدم, Amharic: የምስራቅ እና መካከለኗኛሙ አፍሪካ እግር ኳስ ማህበራት ምክር ቤት; officially abbreviated as CECAFA) is an association of the football playing nations in mostly East Africa and parts of Central Africa. An affiliate of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), CECAFA is the oldest sub-regional football organisation on the continent.

## History

CECAFA was founded unofficially in 1927. The competition was sponsored by the major Nairobi-based soap-manufacturing firm Gossage, owned by the British Lever Brothers. Its formation is often misattributed to William Gossage, founder of the Gossage company. However, he died 50 years before the CECAFA was established.
The tournament was known as the "Gossage Cup" until the mid-sixties, when it was redubbed the "East African Challenge Cup".its consisted of only 12 teams
CECAFA's head offices are in Nairobi, Kenya. The first tournament was contested between Kenya and Uganda, which saw the Kenyan squad win the two legs 3–1 on aggregate.

## Member associations

All associations that joined in 1973 were founding members of CECAFA.
| Country | Year | Governing body |
| Burundi | 1998 | Football Federation of Burundi |
| Djibouti* | 1994 | Djiboutian Football Federation |
| Eritrea | 1994 | Eritrean National Football Federation |
| Ethiopia | 1983 | Ethiopian Football Federation |
| Kenya | 1973 | Football Kenya Federation |
| Rwanda | 1995 | Rwandese Association Football Federation |
| Somalia* | 1973 | Somali Football Federation |
| South Sudan | 2012 | South Sudan Football Association |
| Sudan* | 1975 | Sudan Football Association |
| Tanzania | 1973 | Tanzania Football Federation |
| Uganda | 1973 | Federation of Uganda Football Associations |
| Zanzibar | 1973 | Zanzibar Football Association |
* Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) members are marked with an asterisk

## Broadcasting rights

In 2007, television rights for the tournament were sold to GTV. Since 2009, broadcasting of CECAFA competitions has been taken over by SuperSport.

## Competitions
### Current title holders

| Competition | Edition | Champions | Title | Runners-up | Next edition |
| National teams |||||||||
| Senior Challenge Cup | 2019 | Uganda | 40° | Eritrea | TBD |
| U-23 Challenge Cup | 2021 | Tanzania | 1° | Burundi | TBD |
| U-20 Championship | 2024 | Tanzania | 3° | Kenya | TBD |
| U-18 Championship | 2023 | Uganda | 1° | Kenya | TBD |
| U-17 Championship | 2024 | Uganda | 4° | Tanzania | TBD |
| U-15 Championship | 2023 | Zanzibar | 1° | Uganda | |
| CECAFA African School Championship | 2023 | Royal Giants High School | 1° | Geda Roble SS | 2024 |
| National teams (women) |||||||||
| Women's Championship | 2022 | Uganda | 1° | Burundi | TBD |
| U-20 Women's Championship | 2021 | Ethiopia | 1° | Uganda | TBD |
| U-18 Women's Championship | 2023 | Tanzania | 1° | Uganda | TBD |
| U-17 Women's Championship | 2019 | Uganda | 1° | Tanzania | TBD |
| Girls Schools Championship | 2023 | FT Fountain Gate | 1° | Awaro SS | TBD |
| Club teams |||||||||
| Kagame Cup | 2024 | Red Arrows | 1° | APR FC | TBD |
| Club teams (women) |||||||||
| CAF Women's Champions League CECAFA qualifiers | 2024 | CBE F.C. | 1st | Kenya Police Bullets | 2025 |