KAMPALA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has announced that it will not hold this year's Senior Challenge Cup and the Club Championships due to financial constraints.
Rogers Mulindwa, CECAFA media official, told Xinhua Thursday that the tournaments were canceled after none of the member nations accepted to host the once prestigious football showpiece in the region.
Kenya had accepted to host the two events, but pulled out due to a lack of sponsors. Sudan had initially been selected to host the Senior Challenge Cup, while Tanzania was meant to host the Club Championships. Both later decided to pull out.
The Senior Challenge Cup is the oldest football tournament in Africa.
Mulindwa said failing to hold the tournaments was a big blow as the teams in the region can not test themselves ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations for Uganda and the Confederation of African Football Champions League for those that were to participate in the Club Championships.
This is the second time the tournament is being shelved after the 2014 incident where member countries refused to host the event citing financial constraints.
The event, which brings together around 12 countries from the region, returned in 2015 after Ethiopia came to its rescue, with Uganda eventually lifting the trophy.
