Gor Mahia FC fell 2-1 to Rwanda’s Rayon Sports FC in the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026 final, played Friday night at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, missing a chance to end a 41-year wait for another regional title.
Cameroonian forward Junior Kameni put the hosts ahead in the 27th minute, and Rayon Sports held on to secure Rwanda’s first regional trophy in 28 years, since the club’s last Kagame Cup win in 1998.
Kenya’s reigning Premier League champions had reached the final after a dramatic semi-final win over Sudan’s Al Hilal SC, edging the match 8-7 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at the Kigali Pele Stadium on August 4. Gor Mahia coach Charles Kwablan Akonnor had praised his squad’s resilience after that win, citing their composure under pressure in the shootout.
The Kagame Cup is one of East and Central Africa’s most prestigious club competitions, organized by the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) and contested annually by top clubs from the region.
Gor Mahia, a three-time regional champion, has now gone more than four decades without adding to its Kagame Cup trophy count despite reaching this year’s final. The club’s technical bench is expected to review the campaign as it turns attention to the upcoming domestic season.
Rayon Sports’ win adds to a strong year for Rwandan football, which has increasingly featured in continental competitions as the country invests in football infrastructure and youth development programs.
