There are moments in football that go far beyond the result on the pitch. The recent CECAFA Kagame Cup triumph by Rayon Sports in Kigali, which followed Amavubi’s remarkable performance in the FIFA Series in March, were precisely those moments.

The reaction of the Rwandan public should have left no doubt: Rwandans are massive football fans. The excitement, packed stadiums, celebrations and national pride reminded us that football still matters enormously to this country.

The question is not whether Rwandans love football. They clearly do. The question is whether our football structures, leadership and culture have done enough to serve that passion and unlock its potential.

For too long, our game has been held back by approaches that are fundamentally anti-football: favouritism over merit, unprofessionalism over professionalism, questionable practices over sporting ethics, and a reluctance to respect the expertise of those who have spent their lives developing the game.

We have too often failed to value our own former players, coaches, administrators, referees and technical experts, while practices that undermine rather than strengthen the local game have been allowed to persist.

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Rwanda has raised the bar. Our football must rise with it.

Our government has articulated a clear vision of using sports as an important pillar of economic transformation, backed by major investment in facilities such as Amahoro Stadium, Huye Stadium, BK Arena and other sporting infrastructure across the country.

The groundbreaking Visit Rwanda initiative has taken this ambition onto the global stage through partnerships with major sporting institutions and brands, including Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Atlético de Madrid, Aston Villa, the Los Angeles Clipper in NBA and Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL).

This is much bigger than sponsorship or marketing. It reflects a national ambition to use sports to promote Rwanda, attract investment, develop talent and create opportunities.

So we must ask ourselves: if Rwanda is investing so ambitiously in sports, what should the standard of our domestic sports look like?

Football, as the country's number one sport, should lead by example. Our clubs, competitions, players, coaches and administrators should reflect the ambition, professionalism and standards Rwanda is presenting to the world.

It would be a serious contradiction—and a betrayal of this broader sporting vision—to build magnificent stadiums and attract global sporting brands while allowing our most popular sport to remain trapped in outdated practices, weak governance, limited investment and unnecessary divisions.

The infrastructure is being built. The global platform has been created. The opportunity is here. Our football must rise to meet it.

There are encouraging signs. The emerging changes within our national football governing structures and the positive direction at a major club like Rayon Sports demonstrate that when better practices are allowed to take root, the national interest can benefit.

Rayon Sports' renewed direction, organisation, investment and ambition have created an environment in which players can perform, supporters can believe and the club can compete successfully beyond our borders. The Amavubi's FIFA Series achievement similarly showed what becomes possible when our players are given the right environment, preparation and belief.

These are still early signs of change, but they point towards a possible promised land for Rwandan football—a competitive national team, respected clubs, confident players, passionate supporters and an exciting domestic league.

More investment, more accountability

If we want to make football bigger and better, the responsibility cannot rest with one or two sponsors.

The private sector needs to step onto the pitch in a much bigger way. The partnership between BK and Rayon Sports is an encouraging example, but companies such as MTN, Airtel, Bralirwa and others have the capacity to contribute much more to football.

This should go beyond shirt sponsorship to long-term investment in clubs, academies, women's football, grassroots development, player welfare, facilities, coaching and professional management.

At the same time, clubs benefiting from public resources must be held to high standards. Public investment should produce public value. State-supported clubs should demonstrate accountability, compete for the highest honours and place the development of Rwandan talent at the heart of their mission. Where they consistently fail in sporting performance, player development or governance, the level and purpose of public support should be reviewed.

We need strong clubs—not just one strong club

Rayon Sports' progress should not be an isolated success. Traditional clubs with strong fanbases such as Kiyovu Sports, Mukura VS, Etincelles FC, Musanze FC, Amagaju FC, Rutsiro FC and Bugesera FC also deserve a fair environment in which they can rebuild, professionalise, attract investment and compete with dignity.

A strong Rayon Sports is good for Rwandan football. A strong APR FC is good for Rwandan football. Strong Kiyovu, Mukura, Etincelles and other clubs are equally good for the game.

What we need is a strong football ecosystem, not one or two dominant clubs.

Our football media must grow with the game

A healthier football ecosystem should also produce a healthier football conversation.

Our media should focus more on what actually matters: performance, tactics, coaching, player development, club management, governance, refereeing and the genuine challenges facing the sport.

There is a place for strong criticism, but it should be genuine, informed and constructive—not driven by personal interests, hidden agendas or the desire to tear down a club or individual for personal gain.

We should move away from daily character assassination and individual-centred debates that reduce football to personalities rather than performance. Our media should challenge those in power and expose wrongdoing where necessary, but with fairness, evidence, professionalism and an authentic commitment to developing the game.

Let the game finally breathe

The lesson from the recent celebrations is clear: when Rwandan football gives people something to believe in, Rwandans respond.

They fill stadiums, celebrate together, wear their colours with pride and reconnect with the passion and rivalries that make football special.

We should harness that energy rather than allow it to disappear after one trophy or one good international performance.

The changes now taking place must be improved, safeguarded and sustained. Good practices must become institutional, professional standards the norm, and opportunities extended to clubs and football communities that have suffered from the shortcomings of our system.

We have already seen glimpses of what is possible: Rayon Sports lifting the CECAFA Kagame Cup, the Amavubi making an impact in the FIFA Series, packed stadiums, proud supporters, confident players, world-class facilities and global sporting partnerships.

These are not merely football stories. They are evidence of what happens when people are given something worth believing in.

So let us not simply celebrate these achievements. Let us learn from them.

Let us put merit, professionalism, ethics and expertise back at the heart of the game. Let us invest in our own football people, bring the private sector into the game, demand accountability from publicly supported clubs, build a media culture that serves football rather than personal agendas, and create a genuinely fair environment for our clubs to compete.

Rwanda has shown the world that it can think big about sport. Now our football must dare to think even bigger.

Let us give Rwandan football the opportunity to become not just great again—but greater than it has ever been.

Because when our football wins, Rwanda wins.

The author is former Rayon Sports goalkeeper.