Friday July 24, 2026 – Amahoro stadium, Kigali
- Vipers vs Garde Republicaine 4pm
- APR vs Gor Mahia 8pm
Vipers goal victory after they face Djibouti’s Garde Republicaine within the opening match of the 2026 Cecafa Kagame Cup at Amahoro stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
However, their new head coach Denis Lavagne talking at a pre-match press convention admitted that the workforce will not be 100-percent prepared however that can be no excuse.
“We are usually not prepared 100% and for us, the season begins on August 23 after we play the Super Cup in Uganda,” the French man began.
“But the CECAFA event is superb preparation for us and we now have to do our greatest to win each recreation after we play,” he added.
With new additions to the membership and the membership’s principal goal come subsequent season being defending the league and in addition play within the Caf Champions League group phases, the previous Cameroon head coach will use the event to evaluate his gamers.
“We should handle the time of the gamers within the recreation. I don’t need gamers to play an excessive amount of and get accidents.
“We are utilizing this event to organize for the season, however we now have to win to begin the season with a successful feeling.”
New signings Joel Sserunjogi, Loyce Mbamba, Ceaser Manzoki and Farouk Miya may all get their debuts.
The Venoms will look to emulate former Kagame Cup winners from Uganda – SC Villa (3), KCCA (2), Express (1) and Police (1).
In the identical group A, giants APR and Gor Mahia face off in a while the day on the similar stadium.
With just one workforce assured of a spot within the semis, victory is vital on match day one.
Rwanda President Paul Kagame funds the event by way of prize cash with the winner bagging $ 30,000, runners up $ 20,000 and third positioned workforce taking house $ 10,000.
Express are the most recent workforce to raise the championship however KCCA gained it in Kigali in 2019.
