Sudan were crowned the 2026 CECAFA Under-20 champions for the first time, securing their first-ever regional title after defeating hosts Tanzania 4-3 on penalties following a dramatic 1-1 draw in the final on 24 September 2026 at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The 2026 CECAFA U-20 Championship, which took place from 15 to 24 September 2026 in Dar es Salaam, brought together nine national under-20 teams from the CECAFA region.
Organised by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), the tournament served as the regional qualifiers for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, with Sudan and Tanzania securing the two available places for the CECAFA region.
Both teams had already secured qualification for the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2027 through their semi-final victories.
Tanzania entered the final having won all three of their previous matches without conceding a goal, scoring nine times in victories over Rwanda, Ethiopia and Burundi.
It was a remarkable conclusion to Sudan’s campaign after they had advanced from Group B as the best runners-up, having lost 1-0 to Uganda in the group stage.
They avenged that defeat with a thrilling 3-2 semi-final victory over the Ugandans before overcoming the defending champions in Thursday’s decider.
Source: CAF Online
