Gor Mahia will face Rwandan hosts Rayon Sport in the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup final on Friday at Amahoro Stadium, with the Kenyan side looking to avenge a pre-tournament friendly defeat to the same opponents.
Gor Mahia booked their place in the final after beating Sudan’s Al Hilal SC 8-7 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time at Kigali Pele Stadium on Tuesday. K’Ogalo played the final 30 minutes of extra time a man down after midfielder Jackson Dwang was sent off.
K’Ogalo had taken an early lead through an own goal in the 38th minute before Al Hilal’s Ansumana Samura levelled before halftime, forcing the tie into a tense shootout that Gor Mahia eventually won.
Rayon Sport reached the final with less drama, beating South Sudan’s Jamus SC 3-1 to continue an unbeaten run through the tournament.
The final will be a rematch of a friendly played during Rayon Sport’s “Rayon Day” celebrations at Kigali Pele Stadium last month, where the hosts beat Gor Mahia 2-0 in what was billed as the start of a new era for the club.
Gor Mahia used that match, along with the wider tournament, to prepare for their upcoming 2026/27 CAF Champions League campaign.
Both clubs are three-time regional champions, though Gor Mahia are appearing in their first Kagame Cup final since 2015, when they lost to Azam in Dar es Salaam.
Elsewhere in Kigali, Al Hilal will face Jamus SC in the third-place playoff, also on Friday, kicking off at 3 pm before the final at 7 pm. Al Hilal go in as favourites, unbeaten in their last two meetings with Jamus, including a 1-0 win in last year’s CAF Champions League qualifiers.
A total of $60,000 in prize money, courtesy of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is on offer across the two matches. The champions will collect $30,000, the runners-up $20,000, and the third-placed side $10,000.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the 2025 CAF Men’s Best Referee, will officiate Friday’s final.
