Tusker FC head coach Julien Mette believes the 2026 CECAFA Kagame Cup will provide the ideal preparation for the Brewers’ return to continental football as they step up their build-up to the CAF Confederation Cup.
The FKF Mozzart Bet Cup champions head to Kigali, Rwanda, aiming to compete for regional honours while using the tournament to improve fitness, build team chemistry and fine-tune tactics ahead of their first CAF Confederation Cup appearance since 1994.
Tusker intensified preparations at the Kasarani Annex on Wednesday as they entered the final phase of pre-season.
The Brewers were invited to the tournament as late replacements after Sudanese side Al Merreikh withdrew, but Mette believes the opportunity has come at the perfect time. “We are preparing to go to CECAFA, which was not initially in our plans, but we have been invited.
This is something very good for us, especially ahead of continental football,” said Mette. The regional tournament, running from July 24 to August 7, features 12 clubs divided into three groups of four, with only the three group winners and the best runner-up advancing to the semi-finals.
Tusker have been drawn in a difficult Group C alongside Sudanese champions Al Hilal, hosts Rayon Sports and Zanzibar’s KVZ SC. They begin their campaign against Al Hilal before facing Rayon Sports and KVZ SC.
Although Tusker will approach every match with the intention of winning, Mette insists lifting the Kagame Cup is secondary to preparing the squad for the challenges of continental football.
“We will go to the tournament to prepare and try to win, though that is not the real target. We will face strong competitors, hard workers and killers, which is something good for us. We will play at the Amahoro Stadium, which is a top facility, and the level of opponents will introduce us to the high level of Africa,” he said.
Tusker are currently in the second week of an intensive pre-season programme combining gym work and tactical sessions.
The technical bench is also integrating new striker Victor Mbaoma into the squad, while experienced players Ian Simiyu and Tom Teka are expected to provide leadership. Mette acknowledged that the club began preparations later than expected and urged fans to remain patient as the team continues to build.
“There will be no panic if things don’t go perfectly because we are still building. Every game is another step in our preparation, and our objective is to improve throughout the competition,” he said.
The Frenchman also admitted that Al Hilal are among the favourites to win the tournament but noted that most teams are still assembling their squads, making it difficult to assess opponents.
“We have probably the favourite of the tournament, Al Hilal, in the same group. But all teams are facing the same situation as us, with many changes. We just have to prepare to face very good players in terms of speed of play and mentality,” he said.
Mette said Tusker’s immediate target is to advance from the group stage and reach the semi-finals, but insisted that the team’s long-term objective remains building a competitive unit for the CAF Confederation Cup.
“The expectation is to go out of the group and reach the semi-finals, which will be very good. But because of the late start to our pre-season, we have to be realistic and go game by game. We have to represent Tusker and Kenya with good football, fair play and the right attitude,” he said.
He added that success in Kigali will ultimately be measured by how much the team improves ahead of the bigger continental challenge.
“We always play to win, but this tournament is first and foremost about preparing for the CAF Confederation Cup. We want to build our structure, improve our understanding and grow stronger with every match. If we continue improving game after game, we shall be ready for the bigger tests ahead.”
