🇪🇹EthiopiaEast Africa
Rawuda Ali laments Ethiopia U-17 women's absence from CECAFA Championship
via The Reporter Ethiopia6 min read
Rawuda Ali, head coach of the Ethiopian U-17 Women’s National Team, expressed disappointment over her team's inability to participate in the 2026 CECAFA U-17 Women’s Championship in Tanzania. The tournament, scheduled from June 13 to 23, will feature eight countries. The Ethiopian Football Federation decided against participation due to financial constraints, with Secretary General Bahiru Tilahun reportedly stating the tournament would not add value to the national team. Ali, a former Ethiopian women’s midfielder, believes the competition would have provided crucial international exposure for her squad, which is preparing for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. She emphasized the potential of her players and the importance of such tournaments for their development and progression to the U-20 and senior national teams. Ethiopia is set to face Zambia in the final qualifying round for the World Cup. Participating countries in the CECAFA competition include Tanzania, Uganda, Djibouti, South Sudan, Somalia, Zanzibar, Kenya, and Sudan.
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