Uganda win CECAFA U-17 title on penalties; Somalia and Rwanda also qualify for U-17 AFCON

Uganda won the CECAFA U-17 Championship on 19 October 2026, beating Somalia 6-5 on penalties after a goalless final at Kigali Pele Stadium in Rwanda, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) said on 20 October.

The tournament was the CECAFA zone's qualifier for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. Uganda, runners-up Somalia and third-placed Rwanda all qualify for the continental finals. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on 10 August 2026 that Morocco will host the 2027 tournament in April and May.

Uganda goalkeeper David Dean Ssegirinya made two saves in the last five minutes of normal time and then stopped three Somali penalties. Captain Henry Muhoozi, Sebastian Fisher, Arnold Kayemba, Nicholas Kawoya, Martin Kayiwa and Junior Ofoyrwoth scored for Uganda in the shoot-out. Sumaku Mutawakali and Arafat Ibanda were denied.

It is Uganda's third CECAFA U-17 title, after wins in 2020 and 2024. Muhoozi was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, Kayemba finished as top scorer and Ssegirinya took the Best Goalkeeper award. Ethiopia received the Fair Play Award.

Uganda's Ghanaian coach Laryea Kingston said: "I am very happy with the players because we worked so hard, topped the group," as quoted by FUFA, adding that the team "beat Ethiopia in the semi-finals and now lifted the trophy after winning on penalties."

Uganda also reached the final of the previous CECAFA qualifiers, losing 3-2 to Tanzania at Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa on 2 December 2025. Reaching that final had already secured Uganda a place at the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, FUFA said at the time.

Somalia reached this year's final by beating Rwanda 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the semi-final on 17 October. Rwanda then beat Ethiopia 2-1 in the third-place play-off at Kigali Pele Stadium on 19 October. Rwanda return to the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time since 2011, when they hosted the tournament and finished runners-up.

Kenya's Junior Stars went out in the group stage. They lost 2-0 to Tanzania in their opening match, then 2-0 to Somalia in their last Group C game at Kigali Pele Stadium, where Abdullahi Hashi sealed Somalia's win with a free-kick. Somalia had drawn 1-1 with Tanzania earlier in the tournament, and only the group winners and the best runner-up advanced to the semi-finals.

Kenya, coached by William Muluya, also narrowly missed qualification in 2025, finishing fourth at the CECAFA qualifiers in Addis Ababa. After this exit, Muluya called for better scouting. "Our selection relies more on school games," he said, as quoted by the Kenyan news site Citizen Digital. "We need to expose the players more to competitions and high-intensity games."