RWANDA national football team, Amavubi, have been drawn against Somalia in the first round of the qualifiers for the 2020 CAF African Nations Championships. The first-leg clash between the two teams will be held on the weekend of July 26-28 in Mogadishu before Rwanda host the return-leg in Kigali on August 2-4 Vincent Mashami’s side will be looking to qualify for the continent’s second biggest football event for a fourth time – and a third time in a row – having participated at the 2011 edition in Sudan, the 2016 competition in Rwanda and the 2018 finals tournament staged in Morocco. The 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a competition that is designed for players featuring in their respective domestic leagues, will be held in Ethiopia. Should Amavubi see off Somalia, they will progress to the next round of the qualifiers where they will either take on South Sudan or Uganda. The first leg of the second round will then be played in Kigali on September 20-22 before the decisive encounter take place on October 18-20, either in Juba or Kampala, depending on who makes it through to the second round. The eventual winner in the second round will automatically book ticket to the 2020 Ethiopia CHAN finals tournament as representatives of the Central/Eastern Africa zone. Forty-seven teams are engaged in the battle for 15 places to join the hosts Ethiopia at the sixth CHAN finals tournament. editorial@newtimesrwanda.com
