Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC have been handed a challenging group in the 2026 Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Kagame Cup following the official draw held at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
The Venoms have been placed in Group A alongside Rwandan champions APR FC, Kenyan heavyweights Gor Mahia FC, and Djibouti’s FC Garde Republicaine.
The regional tournament will run from 24 July to 7 August 2026, bringing together some of East and Central Africa’s strongest clubs.
For Vipers, the draw sets up a reunion with Gor Mahia, the side that eliminated the Ugandan champions 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 2018 CECAFA Kagame Cup, the last time the Kitende-based club featured in the competition.
Vipers will be aiming to make a stronger impression this time around as they prepare for a demanding 2026/27 campaign that also includes the Uganda Premier League, CAF Champions League and Uganda Cup.
The tournament format will see the winners of each of the three groups qualify directly for the semifinals, with the best second-placed team across all groups completing the last four.
2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup Draw
Group A
APR FC (Rwanda)
Vipers SC (Uganda)
Gor Mahia FC (Kenya)
FC Garde Republicaine (Djibouti)
Group B
Simba SC (Tanzania)
Singida Black Stars (Tanzania)
Jamus FC (South Sudan)
Mogadishu City (Somalia)
Group C
Al Hilal (Sudan)
Rayon Sports (Rwanda)
Tusker FC (Kenya)
KVZ FC (Zanzibar)