NEC FC to represent Uganda after Vipers withdraw from Kagame Cup

NEC FC will fly Uganda’s flag at the 2025 CECAFA Kagame Cup following a last-minute withdrawal by Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC.

The regional tournament, featuring 12 elite clubs from East and Central Africa, will run from September 2 to 15 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The official draw was conducted Thursday morning at Pan Pacific Suites in Nairobi, Kenya.

NEC has been placed in Group B alongside Rwanda’s APR FC, last year’s finalists—Burundi’s Bumamuru FC, and Zanzibar’s Mlandege FC. The group promises intense competition, particularly with APR’s pedigree in the tournament.

Group A features Tanzania’s Singida Big Stars FC, who are also set to compete in the CAF Confederation Cup, alongside Garde Cotes FC (Djibouti), Ethiopian Coffee SC, and Kenya Police FC.

Group C includes Sudanese giants Al Hilal Omdurman, Al Ahly SC Wad Madani, Kator FC (South Sudan), and Mogadishu City Club (Somalia).

Matches will be staged at four venues across Tanzania: Azam Complex, Chamazi, KMC Stadium, and Major General Isamuyo Stadium.

Vipers SC, currently in Rwanda for pre-season and preparing for a friendly against Tanzania’s Azam FC, informed CECAFA late Wednesday of their decision to withdraw. Organisers swiftly reached out to NEC FC, who accepted the invitation to represent Uganda.

This marks the second major tournament Vipers have opted out of this month, having also skipped the FUFA Super 8.

Meanwhile, CECAFA has unveiled a new sponsorship deal with leading betting company Betika, now the official sponsor of the 2025/2026 Kagame Cup. The partnership includes premium branding rights across CECAFA platforms and in-stadium visibility throughout the tournament.

Among the other participating clubs are El Merriekh SC Bentiu (South Sudan), Flambeau du Centre (Burundi), and several regional contenders.

Last year’s edition saw Zambia’s Red Arrows FC crowned champions after defeating APR FC in the final held at KMC Stadium in Tanzania.