Kenya has been selected to host the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers, set to be held in Nairobi from September 4 to September 16.
The qualifiers will feature eight teams from across East and Central Africa, organized by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA).
The CAF Women’s Champions League is an annual African women’s club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
It was launched in 2020, with Kenya hosting the tournament previously in the inaugural edition in 2021, which Vihiga Queens won and earned a spot in the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League finals held in Egypt later that year.
“We are happy that the tournament will be returning to Kenya after the inaugural one was hosted there in 2021,” said Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Director.
Teams Participating in the tournament
- Kenya Police Bullets (Kenya)
- Top Girls Academy FC (Burundi)
- Yei Joint Stars FC (South Sudan)
- JKT Queens (Tanzania)
- Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC (CBE) (Ethiopia)
- Kampala Queens (Uganda)
- Rayon Sports Women FC (Rwanda)
- JKU Princesses FC (Zanzibar)
The winners of the Zonal qualifiers will represent CECAFA at the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025.
The CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers are organized by six sub-confederations: UNAF, WAFU Zone A, WAFU Zone B, UNIFFAC, CECAFA, and COSAFA.
The tournament is structured with group stages followed by knockout rounds, and it showcased the rising talent and competitiveness of women’s football in the CECAFA region.
CBE FC and Yei Joint Stars are the only teams to have participated in all four previous editions.
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Past CECAFA champions include Vihiga Queens (Kenya, 2021), Simba Queens (Tanzania, 2022), and JKT Queens (Tanzania, 2023).
Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti are not participating in the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers.
Women’s football in Africa
Women’s football in Africa has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past few decades.
Africa has over 150,000 registered female players across the continent, with 47 out of 54 CAF member nations having a senior women’s national team.
Youth development is a key focus, with 71% of federations running grassroots programs and 82% partnering with schools to nurture talent.
These initiatives aim to build a sustainable pipeline of female players and improve competitiveness at both regional and global levels.
Notable achievements include Nigeria’s Super Falcons participating in every FIFA Women’s World Cup since 1991.
Players like Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria), who stars for Bay FC in America, and Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa) have gained international accolades.
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Salima Mukansanga of Rwanda made history as the first African female referee at a men’s FIFA World Cup.
Star players like Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji of Zambia continue to inspire. Kundananji became the most expensive female footballer in history in 2024, signing with Bay FC in the U.S. for Ksh110.9 million, while Banda joined Orlando Pride in the NWSL
Despite challenges such as funding gaps and cultural barriers, the future of women’s football in Africa is promising, driven by increasing investment, media attention, and grassroots engagement.
CAF has increased WAFCON prize money by 45%, with winners now receiving Ksh129 million, double the previous amount.
Morocco, hosting WAFCON for the second consecutive time, has invested heavily in infrastructure, including the Ksh8.4 billion King Mohammed VI Complex, and appointed World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda to lead its national team.
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