Somalian Referee Omar Artan to Officiate 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup Final
The Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has appointed Somalian referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan to officiate the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup final, scheduled for August 7 at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Artan will be assisted by Liban Abdulrazack of Djibouti as the first assistant referee and Kenya’s Stephen Yiembe as the second assistant referee. The experienced officiating team has been entrusted with handling the tournament’s showpiece match as four clubs battle for the regional title.
The road to the final begins on August 4, with two highly anticipated semifinal matches set to determine the finalists.
In the first semifinal, Kenyan giants Gor Mahia will take on Sudan’s Al Hilal in what is expected to be a thrilling East African-North African showdown. Gor Mahia will be aiming to secure a place in the final and add another regional title to their rich history.
The second semifinal will see hosts Rayon Sports of Rwanda face South Sudan’s Jamus FC at Kigali Pele Stadium. Backed by home support, Rayon Sports will be looking to capitalize on home advantage, while Jamus FC will be hoping to pull off an upset and reach their first CECAFA Kagame Cup final.
With four strong teams still in contention, football fans across the region are eagerly awaiting the knockout stage as the race for the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup trophy reaches its climax. The winners of the two semifinal fixtures will face off in the grand finale at Amahoro Stadium on August 7.
