Uganda to host 2023 CECAFA U15 Boys Championship

Uganda Cranes midfielder Travis Mutyaba (yellow) scores one of his two goals against Burundi in the semi-final of the 2019 CECAFA U15 championship in Asmarra, Eritrea | Photo Credit: Courtesy

FOOTBALL Uganda to host 2023 CECAFA U15 Boys Championship

Shafic Kiyaga 14:13 - 30.03.2023

The tournament, last played in 2019, was hailed as a master stroke by East and Central Africa region football associations umbrella body, CECAFA, but it has been left in the cold since then.

Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) has confirmed that they are willing to revamp the CECAFA U15 Boys tournament by hosting its 2023 edition.

The tournament, last played in 2019, was hailed as a master stroke by East and Central Africa region football associations umbrella body, CECAFA, but it has been left in the cold since then.

Hosting the tournament was among several discussions that were discussed at the latest FUFA Executive Committee last month.

According to Magogo, FUFA is the only football federation that cares as much about the tournament that it is willing to stomach the cost of hosting it this year.

“FUFA has decided to host the 2023 CECAFA U15 Boys championship,” Magogo told a press conference. “Nobody wants to host it, yet it is the beginning of our juniors’ teams.”

“Today we are talking about the likes of Travis Mutyaba, who all have developed from this tournament and are now playing for the senior side.”

“So, whereas it is a cost, as a federation we have taken the responsibility on behalf of CECAFA to say that we shall host the U15 boys CECAFA championship this year,” he added.

CECAFA pioneered U15’s football nations tournaments on the African continent when it hosted the first ever tourney in August in Asmara Eritrea.

Sponsored under the FIFA Forward Programme initiative, all CECAFA members voted to have the tournament played to help foster youth football development in the region.

Up to 10 of the 15 CECAFA member associations took part in the inaugural edition, and were divided into two groups of five, with the top two progressing to the semi-finals that were competed for by Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi.

Uganda, inspired by Mutyaba and tournament top scorer Kyeyune Abasi emerged victorious after defeating rivals Kenya 4-0 in the final.

Twenty-four games were played at the Cicero Stadium in Asmarra, that produced 81 goals at an impressive average of 3.8 goals per game.