Merriekh SC Bentiu Set for Maiden CECAFA Kagame Cup Appearance



By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku - Juba, South Sudan –

El Merriekh SC Bentiu will make their first-ever appearance in the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2025, scheduled for September 2–15 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with the draw set for August 26th.

The South Sudan Premier League club was nominated by the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) after Kator FC turned down an invitation to participate in the tournament.

 This development followed CAF’s decision to reject Kator from representing the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.

El Merriekh’s involvement in the Kagame Cup is seen as a crucial preparation for their upcoming campaign in the CAF Confederation Cup, where they will represent South Sudan at continental level. 

The tournament will give the Bentiu-based side exposure to regional competition and help them build the experience needed for the challenges ahead.

The Kagame Cup will bring together 12 teams, including: Singida Black Stars FC (Tanzania), APR FC (Rwanda), Vipers SC (Uganda), Mogadishu City Club (Somalia), Mlandege SC (Zanzibar), Kenya Police FC (Kenya), Flambeau du Centre (Burundi), Garde Cotes FC (Djibouti), Ethiopian Coffee SC (Ethiopia), Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan), and Al Ahly SC Wad Madani (Sudan).

Youssuf Mossi, CECAFA Competitions Manager, said the tournament provides the right platform for clubs to prepare for CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup campaigns.

For El Merriekh SC Bentiu, the Kagame Cup is more than just a debut — it is a chance to raise South Sudan’s football profile and show that the nation can compete on the regional stage.

Follow Sports Hunter South Sudan for exclusive coverage of El Merriekh’s Kagame Cup 2025 journey and their build-up to the CAF Confederation Cup.

#ElMerriekh #SouthSudanFootball #KagameCup2025 #CECAFA

Comments

Post a Comment

Hot this week

South Sudan Names Provisional Squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Image
By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku / Sports Hunter South Sudan - Juba, August 20, 2025   South Sudan senior national team head coach, Nicolas Dupuis has named a 27-man provisional squad ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers. The squad announcement was made public on Wednesday, August 20, through the official Facebook page of the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF). The selected players are set to begin training next week in preparation for a critical double-header against DR Congo and Mauritania. Currently sitting fifth in Group B with just three points, the Bright Stars remain winless in their qualification campaign. They suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Leopards of DR Congo on Matchday 5 in Kinshasa — a result they will be eager to avenge on home soil. South Sudan will host DR Congo on September 5 at the Juba National Stadium for Matchday 7, before traveling to Nouakchott to face Mauritania on September 9. With only a few matches remaining, Coach Dupuis and hi...
Read more

Bright Stars Begin Preparations for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Image
By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku - Juba, South Sudan – Saturday, 23 August 2025 South Sudan’s senior men’s national football team, the Bright Stars, kicked off their preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers with a training session at the Juba National Stadium on Saturday morning. The session was conducted under the guidance of Assistant Coach Simon James and Fitness Coach Brin George, with players from the South Sudan Premier League taking part. The foreign-based players, alongside Head Coach Nicolas Dupuis, are expected to join the squad in the coming days. Photos from the first training session, shared on the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) official Facebook page, revealed the return of coach Kennedy Saturlino, popularly known as Dida . Saturlino, who had earlier been replaced by Mohammed Seif Both as the national team’s goalkeeping coach, was spotted back with the team, though no official communication regarding his reinstatement has been issued. Currently si...
Read more