Boost for Kenya Police Bullets as Nairobi hosts CAF Women's Champions League qualifiers

Kenya Police Bullets will have home advantage as they seek to qualify for the CAF Women's Champions League for the first time when Kenya hosts the 2025 CECAFA qualifiers from September 4-16 in Nairobi.

The reigning FKF Women's Premier League champions are eager to make amends after last year's heartbreak in Ethiopia, where they lost 1-0 to Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) in the final. The defeat denied them a historic spot in the continental showpiece, but playing in front of home fans this time could be the boost they need.

Kenya last hosted the qualifiers in 2021, and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) successfully bid to bring the tournament back. The competition will feature eight clubs: Kenya Police Bullets (Kenya), CBE FC (Ethiopia), Yei Joint Stars (South Sudan), Kampala Queens (Uganda), JKT Queens (Tanzania), Top Girls Academy (Burundi), Rayon Sports Women (Rwanda) and JKU Princesses (Zanzibar).

CECAFA Competitions Director Yusuf Mossi expressed excitement about the return of the event to Nairobi. "We are happy that the tournament will be returning to Kenya after the inaugural one was hosted there in 2021," said Mossi.

Defending champions CBE and Yei Joint Stars are the only teams to have featured in all four editions of the qualifiers. The winner of the regional event will secure the sole CECAFA slot at the 2025 CAF Women's Champions League.

The qualifiers are scheduled to conclude before September 18 to allow players to join their national teams for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup preliminary qualifiers. With home support and a talented squad, Kenya Police Bullets will fancy their chances of finally breaking through to Africa's elite stage.