Rayon Sports WFC head coach Claude Rwaka has set an ambitious target of surpassing last season's achievement and securing a place at the CAF Women's Champions League after his side discovered their opponents for the 2026 CECAFA qualifiers. The draw, held in Kigali on July 30, placed the Rwandan champions in Group A alongside South Sudan's Yei Joint Stars, Zanzibar's Mafunzo WFC and Eritrea's Denden FC. The group presents a challenging but manageable route for the Blues, who will enjoy home advantage when Kigali hosts the regional qualifiers from August 21-31. Our first objective is to qualify from the group stage, Rwaka said. We will take it one game at a time and see how far we can go. Rayon Sports WFC head into the tournament with growing expectations after making history in 2025 by becoming the first Rwandan women's club to reach the final of the CECAFA Women's Champions League qualifiers. Their remarkable campaign ended in heartbreak with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Tanzania's JKT Queens in the final in Kenya, leaving them one victory away from qualifying for the CAF Women's Champions League. Rwaka believes that experience has strengthened his team ahead of this year's campaign. Our ambition is to go beyond what we achieved last year, but we have to approach every match with focus and caution, he said. It is a tough competition, but we are hosting the tournament. With our fans and the support of all Rwandans behind us, we believe we can achieve something even better. Playing on home soil could provide Rayon Sports WFC with a significant advantage. Familiarity with the conditions and the backing of local supporters are expected to boost the team's confidence in a tournament featuring some of the strongest women's clubs in the CECAFA region. Ten teams representing Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar will compete for the region's lone ticket to the CAF Women's Champions League. Unlike Groups B and C, which feature several established regional powerhouses, Group A does not include a former CECAFA champion, giving the hosts a realistic opportunity to finish top of the group. Another key strength for Rayon Sports WFC is continuity. Several players who featured in last year's historic run remain in the squad, bringing valuable experience from high-pressure regional competition. Having come within one match of reaching the CAF Women's Champions League, the players understand what it takes to compete at the highest level. Home support could also prove decisive. Women's football continues to grow in Rwanda, and strong backing at Amahoro Stadium may provide the extra lift Rayon Sports WFC need in closely contested matches. Only the winners of the Kigali qualifiers will secure CECAFA's sole place at the CAF Women's Champions League, where Africa's top domestic champions will battle for continental glory.
