Kenya and Uganda have been pooled in Group B of the Cecafa U17 Championship following a draw that was conducted in Arusha, Tanzania.
The two leading teams in the U17 qualifiers – that will be staged in Rwanda – will qualify to represent the zone in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) U17 tournament. The junior Afcon tournament will be held in Morocco in 2021.
Ethiopia are the other opponents in a group that is expected to be the toughest especially taking into account the recent rivalry between Kenya and the Uganda Cubs.
Tanzania have been drawn alongside Sudan and Djibouti in Group C whereas Rwanda, Eritrea, and South Sudan are in Group A.
The championship has been scheduled to take place between December 13 to December 28 in Rwanda where the Cecafa Kagame Club Cup was held in 2019.
The top team in each group and the best runners-up will qualify for the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Cecafa also conducted the draw for the U20 competition that will be held in Tanzania.
Kenya have avoided Uganda in the group stage as they landed in a pool that has northern neighbours Ethiopia and Sudan and this is the only group with three participants.
Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, Djibouti are in Group A whereas Group B is expected to be a rather smooth-sailing journey for Uganda given that they have been pooled alongside Burundi, Eritrea, and South Sudan.
The three top teams in Group A and B will enter the quarter-finals where they will be joined by the two top teams from Group C. The winner of the U20 competition will seal a place in the U20 Afcon tournament set to be held in Mauritania in 2021.
The tournament has been scheduled to be played from November 22 to December 6 before the focus will shift to the U17 competition.
No country has so far confirmed to participate nor pulled out of the tournament as the focus is now in the upcoming Afcon double-headers set for November.
Cecafa U17 Groups
Group A: Rwanda, Eritrea, South Sudan
Group B: Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya
Group C: Sudan, Djibouti, Tanzania
Cecafa U20 Groups
Group A: Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, Djibouti
Group B: Burundi, Eritrea, South Sudan, Uganda
Group C: Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan
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