NAIROBI, Kenya, April 12- Six-time Africa club champions, Egyptian giants, Al Ahly and Ghanaian outfit, Liberty Professionals, will be the guests at this year’s expanded Cecafa Kagame Inter-Club Cup set for Sudan.
The event that will be staged at three venues, El Mereikh, Khartoum and Port Sudan Stadiums will see the top three teams share $100,000 (Sh8.4m) in prize money where the winners will take home $50,000 (Sh4.4m).
Runner-ups will pocket $30,000 (Sh2.52m) with $20,000 (Sh1.68m) going to the third placed side in the June 21 to July 5 showdown.
This year’s Kagame Inter-Club Cup will also witness the number of allocations for registered players in each side increased from 20 to a maximum of 25 slots with the teams stepped up to 16.
“Because of logistical problems, Zanzibar is unable to host this event and that is why we have shifted it to Khartoum. This will be the biggest competition in our history, we anticipate 16 clubs, we have enough sponsorship to cater for that,” Cecafa general secretary, Nicholas Musonye said Tuesday.
While disclosing organisers had a $1m (Sh84m) kitty for the tournament, Musonye gave an April 30 as the set deadline for all teams to confirm their participation.
“Those who will not honour that date, it will be assumed they are not participating and we want Kenyan team to prepare well. We have set everything in place, people of Sudan are excited they are hosting CECAFA for the second time in three years,” he stated.
While lamenting continued poor performances by regional team at continental events, Musonye urged regional sides renown for ill-preparations to step up their readiness for the tournaments.
“Al Ahly and Liberty FC will complete the 16 team line-up for this competition. CECAFA will continue to provide the platform for our teams to play football, our teams are known for poor preparations and they should not blame us, it’s up to local federations to ensure their teams are well prepared.”
Rwanda’s APR are the defending champions and Kenya will be represented by domestic league titleholders, Ulinzi Stars. The host nation and the country of the titleholders will feature two teams in.
Tusker FC were the last Kenyan outfit to lift the Kagame Cup when they beat Uganda Revenue Authority 2-1 in Tanzania during the 2008 edition.
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