# 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup: Vipers qualify, showdown pending

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/2026-cecafa-kagame-cup-group-stage
> Updated: 2026-07-29T20:26:09.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 4.

In the group stage of the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup, Kenyan champions Gor Mahia opened the tournament with a 5‑0 win over APR, sitting atop Group A. Uganda’s Vipers SC earned a 3‑0 victory against Djibouti’s Garde Républicaine FC, later securing a narrow 2‑1 loss to host APR while still finishing as group runners‑up and clinching a quarter‑final berth.

Both clubs now prepare for their decisive encounter, scheduled as the opening match of the competition’s second phase at Kigali Pele Stadium. The showdown revives the rivalry that produced a 2‑1 Gor Mahia win in the 2018 quarter‑finals and is being billed as the marquee fixture of the knockout stage.

The tournament continues with twelve East and Central African teams vying for the title from 24 July to 7 August, with Gor Mahia positioned as a leading contender and Vipers SC set to test that claim in the upcoming clash.

## Timeline

### 2026-07-29: Ugandan Vipers SC Secure Quarterfinal Spot After 2-1 Loss to Rwanda's APR in Kigali

Vipers SC lost 2-1 to APR FC but still qualified for the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup quarter‑finals after finishing second in Group A in Kigali.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vipers-sc-advance-to-cecafa-kagame-cup-quarterfinals-after-21-loss-to-apr

### 2026-07-26: Vipers SC and Gor Mahia to meet in CECAFA Kagame Cup showdown

Vipers SC (UG) will play Gor Mahany FC (KE) at Kigali's Pele Stadium in the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2026, rekindling their 2018 quarter‑final rivalry.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vipers-sc-and-gor-mahia-to-meet-in-cecafa-kagame-cup-showdown

### 2026-07-24: Vipers SC Faces Garde Republicaine in CECAFA Kagame Cup Group Match

Vipers SC will play Garde Republicaine in Kigali on 24 July 2026, with the Djiboutian captain claiming it’s his first hearing of the Ugandan side; the match decides Group A standings in the CECAFA Kagame Cup.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vipers-sc-faces-garde-republicaine-in-cecafa-kagame-cup-group-match

### 2026-07-24: Gor Mahia thrashes APR 5-0 in Kigali as Kagame Cup heats up

Gor Mahia blasted APR 5-0 in the Kagame Cup, while Vipers SC began with a 3-0 win over Djibouti's Garde Republicaine.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gor-mahia-thrashes-apr-5-0-in-kigali-as-kagame-cup-heats-up

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Cite as: 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup: Vipers qualify, showdown pending. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/2026-cecafa-kagame-cup-group-stage