Gor Mahia, the current champions of the Football Kenya Federation Premier League, have been placed in Group B, known as the "group of death," for this year's CECAFA Kagame Cup. The tournament will take place from July 9th to 21st in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with matches held at the Azam Complex in Chamazi and the new KMC Stadium in Kinondoni.
Gor Mahia, who last won the regional title nearly 40 years ago, will face tough competition in Group B against Zambia’s Red Arrows, Djibouti’s Telecom FC, and Sudan’s Al Hilal FC. The draw, which occurred in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, split twelve teams into three groups of four. The top team from each group and the best runner-up will move on to the semi-finals.
In Group A, the teams include Tanzania’s Coastal Union, Sudan’s Alwadi, Zanzibar’s JKU, and Somalia’s Dekadaha FC. Group C features Uganda’s Sports Club Villa, Rwanda’s APR FC, Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars, and South Sudan’s Al Merreikh Bentiu.
Tusker FC was the last Kenyan team to win the trophy in 2008, while AFC Leopards hold the record as the most successful Kenyan club in the tournament with six titles.
Leonard Martins Neiva, the newly appointed head coach of Gor Mahia, will face his first major test in this tournament. Neiva, a 46-year-old Brazilian who recently took over from Jonathan McKinstry, aims to start his two-year contract with a strong performance. He is well-acquainted with East African soccer, having previously coached Uganda’s Vipers Sports Club, Tanzania’s Yanga, and Sudan’s El-Merreikh.
#### CECAFA Kagame Cup 2024 Draw:
- **Group A:** Coastal Union (Tanzania), Alwadi (Sudan), JKU (Zanzibar), Dekaheda FC (Somalia)
- **Group B:** Gor Mahia (Kenya), Al Hilal (Sudan), Red Arrows (Zambia), Telecom FC (Djibouti)
- **Group C:** Sports Club Villa (Uganda), APR FC (Rwanda), Singida Black Stars (Tanzania), Al Merreikh Bentui (South Sudan)
