Why Mette does not expect Tusker to clinch CECAFA Kagame Cup
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 17.07.26. | 15:53
The Brewers are placed in Group C alongside Sudanese giants Al Hilal SC, Rayon Sport and Zanzibar's KVZ SC
Tusker head coach Julien Mette realistically does not expect his side to win the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup, but believes participating at this year’s tournament will provide the Brewers proper preparation ahead of their return to continental football next season.
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Tusker, who were crowned domestic winners of the Mozzart Bet Cup last month, were a week ago drafted into the regional competition to be held in Rwanda from Friday, 24 July to Friday, 7 August, following the dropping out of Sudan side, El Merriekh SC, due to a delayed conclusion to their domestic season.
“We are preparing to go to CECAFA which was not initially in our plans, but we have been invited,” Mette, who will have his first pre-season with Tusker after joining the side in the middle of last season, told the club website on Friday, 17 July. “This is something very good for us especially ahead of continental football."
Having flattered to deceive for the better part of the 2025/2026 FKF Premier League campaign, Tusker were fortunate to click into gear just at the right time, and now find themselves preparing for a return to continental football for the first time since the 2022/2023 season, when they featured in the CAF Champions League after clinching their last league title.
This time, however, they will play in the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, a competition Mette believes will require his team to get properly prepped for.
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“We will go to the Kagame Cup tournament to prepare and try to win, though that is not the real target,” the Frenchman said. “We will face strong competitors, hard workers and killers which is something good for us. We will play at the Amahoro Stadium which is a top facility and the level of opponents will introduce us to the high level of Africa.”
Pooled in Group C, The Brewers will come up against Sudanese giants Al Hilal SC, Mette’s former side and hosts Rayon Sports FC, and Zanzibar’s KVZ SC.
On what to expect from their opponents, the tactician said: “We have probably the favorite of the tournament, Al Hilal, in the same group. But all teams are facing the same situation as us, with many changes, so it is probably useless to try and analyze the tactical gameplan of our opponents. They will have players on trial as we will, but we just have to prepare to face very good players in terms of speed of play and mental.”
With that level of confidence granted, Mette is all the same cognizant of the timing of the Kagame Cup, which sort of gives his side a free-run.
“The expectation is to go out of the group and to reach the semi final which will be very good,” he said. “But because of the late start of our pre-season, we have to be realistic and go game by game. If we lose, there will not be drama, but we just have to represent Tusker and Kenya with good football, and a good image in terms of fair play and attitude. That’s the main target.”
Joining Tusker’s ambition to fly Kenya’s flag high is record Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia, who arrived in Rwanda on Thursday, and ready to play it out in Group A.