The Africa Continental Cup 2026 runs from September 8 to 19 in Kigali, Rwanda, with five nations chasing the title at the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium.
Also known as the ILT20 Continent Cup, this is the third edition of Africa’s premier T20I event outside ICC-run qualifiers. Here’s the complete schedule, squads, and everything that matters before a ball gets bowled.
Quick Facts: Africa Continental Cup 2026
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Edition | 3rd |
| Dates | September 8–19, 2026 |
| Host | Rwanda |
| Venue | Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Kigali |
| Teams | Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Botswana, Sierra Leone |
| Format | Double round-robin, top 2 teams to the final |
| Total matches | 21 (20 league games + final) |
| Defending champions | Uganda (won 2023 and 2024) |
| Organiser | Rwanda Cricket Association, under the International League T20 banner |
A Smaller Field Than First Planned
Here’s something most previews won’t tell you. The tournament was originally announced as an eight-team event, adding Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania to the mix. That plan got trimmed.
The Rwanda Cricket Association confirmed in late August that the 2026 edition will run with five sides instead, and the double round-robin format reflects that smaller field. If you spot an eight-team schedule floating around online, it’s outdated.
Africa Continental Cup 2026 Full Schedule
Every team plays the other four twice before the top two meet in the final. No semi-finals this year, so every league match carries real weight toward that final spot.
Each match is assigned to its own separate row with specific single-day dates split across the match windows:
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| September 8 | Match 1: Kenya vs Sierra Leone |
| September 8 | Match 2: Rwanda vs Botswana |
| September 9 | Match 3: Uganda vs Sierra Leone |
| September 9 | Match 4: Kenya vs Rwanda |
| September 10 | Match 5: Uganda vs Botswana |
| September 10 | Match 6: Rwanda vs Sierra Leone |
| September 11 | Match 7: Uganda vs Rwanda |
| September 11 | Match 8: Kenya vs Botswana |
| September 12 | Match 9: Uganda vs Kenya |
| September 12 | Match 10: Botswana vs Sierra Leone |
| September 13 | Match 11: Sierra Leone vs Kenya |
| September 13 | Match 12: Botswana vs Rwanda |
| September 15 | Match 13: Sierra Leone vs Uganda |
| September 15 | Match 14: Rwanda vs Kenya |
| September 16 | Match 15: Botswana vs Uganda |
| September 16 | Match 16: Sierra Leone vs Rwanda |
| September 17 | Match 17: Rwanda vs Uganda |
| September 17 | Match 18: Botswana vs Kenya |
| September 18 | Match 19: Kenya vs Uganda |
| September 18 | Match 20: Sierra Leone vs Botswana |
| September 19 | Match 21: Final (Top 2 teams from points table) |
There’s a short break between September 13 and 15, giving squads a couple of days to recover before the closing stretch. So, expect fresh legs and sharper cricket heading into the business end.
Teams and Squads of Africa Continental Cup 2026
Here are the Teams and Squads for the Tournament:
Uganda Cricket Cranes: The Team to Beat
Uganda enters as a two-time defending champion, having lifted the trophy in both 2023 and 2024 without dropping a single match in the 2024 league phase. Riazat Ali Shah captains the side, with Kenneth Waiswa as his deputy, and former Kenya batter Steve Tikolo coaches the group.
Uganda currently sits 21st in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings, comfortably the highest-ranked team in this field. They also played at the 2024 T20 World Cup, reaching the group stage in their debut appearance.
Squad: Riazat Ali Shah (c), Kenneth Waiswa, Charles Musemeza, Cyrus Kakuru, Gerald Olipa, Juma Miyaji, Cosmas Kyewuta, Enock Kasaija, Fahad Mutagana, Joseph Baguma, Matthew Musinguzi, Anas Baig, Robinson Obuya, Ronald Lutaaya.
Rwanda: Home Advantage and Red-Hot Form
The hosts arrive on the back of a genuinely strong year. Rwanda has won 10 of 13 T20Is in 2026, and that includes topping the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-regional Qualifier A ahead of Kenya. Clinton Rubagumya captains the national side, with Lawrence Mahatlane as head coach.
Rwanda hasn’t officially confirmed its Continental Cup squad at the time of writing, but expect most names from that Qualifier A group, including top-scorer Hamza Khan, who smashed an unbeaten 164 in a single innings back in May.
Kenya: Building Toward a Regional Final
Kenya finished runners-up in Qualifier A this year, which already books their spot in the 2027 Africa Regional Final for World Cup qualification. Dhiren Gondaria captains the Simbas, who sit 33rd in the ICC T20I rankings and have won 6 of 8 matches in 2026.
Squad: Dhiren Gondaria (c), Gurdeep Singh, Sukhdeep Singh, Sachin Gill, Rakep Patel, Brian Likavu, Shem Ngoche, Francis Mutua, Lucas Ndandason, Vishil Patel, Peter Koech, Nitish Hirani, Gerald Muthui, Rushab Patel.
Botswana: The Form Team Nobody’s Talking About
Botswana has quietly won 9 of 11 T20Is in 2026, a record that outpaces every other team here on paper. Thatayaone Tshose captains the side, ranked 50th by the ICC, and they finished third in Qualifier A after a competitive campaign.
Squad: Thatayaone Tshose (c), Mounroux Kasselman, Vinoo Balakrishnan, Phemelo Silas, Boemo Khumalo, Ryan Adams, Boemo Kgosiemang, Botlhe Keganne, Dhruv Maisuria, Katlo Piet, Mmoloki Mooketsi, Tumelo Mpatane, Valentine Mbazo, Myolisi Fumba.
Sierra Leone: The Underdogs
Sierra Leone comes in as the lowest-ranked side at 83rd, and their 2026 record of 2 wins from 6 games reflects a squad still building depth. Lansana Lamina leads the tournament squad as captain.
Squad: Lansana Lamina (c), Alusine Turay, Samuel Conteh, Aliya Kamara, Abubakarr Kamara, Raymond Coker, Yegbeh Jalloh, George Sesay, Eric Musa Turay, Solomon Williams, Mohamed Turay, David Halloway, Ibrahim Kpaka, Brima Ansumana.
Key Players to Watch
- Riazat Ali Shah (Uganda) – The captain and wicketkeeper-batter holds the squad’s experience and leadership together.
- Robinson Obuya (Uganda) – Top run-scorer of the 2024 edition with 272 runs, and still Uganda’s most dependable top-order option.
- Hamza Khan (Rwanda) – Smashed 164 not out in a single Qualifier A innings this year. Bowlers, take note.
- Dhiren Gondaria (Kenya) – Leads a Kenyan side that’s one step away from a World Cup regional final.
- Monroux Kasselman (Botswana) – A proven middle-order finisher who scored 66 in Botswana’s Qualifier A campaign.
- Sachin Gill (Kenya) – Picked up 17 wickets during Qualifier A, the joint-most in that tournament.
Where to Watch Africa Continental Cup 2026
The tournament is currently underway in Rwanda, running from September 8 to September 19, 2026.
Live ball-by-ball commentary, real-time scorecards, and highlights are available on the Cricbuzz Africa Continental Cup Page.
For regional or satellite television broadcasts, digital tracking and regional schedules can also be followed via the Willow TV Tournament Page
Africa Continental Cup History: Past Champions and Records
| Edition | Host | Teams | Champion | Runner-up | Top Run-Scorer | Top Wicket-Taker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nairobi, Kenya | 4 | Uganda | Kenya | Collins Obuya (284) | Henry Ssenyondo & Vraj Patel (18 each) |
| 2024 | Kigali, Rwanda | 4 | Uganda | Nigeria | Robinson Obuya (272) | Henry Ssenyondo (22) |
| 2026 | Kigali, Rwanda | 5 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Uganda has won every edition so far, and a third straight title would put them clear of the field as Africa’s dominant T20I side outside the ICC qualifying pathway. Henry Ssenyondo also became the first Ugandan man to take 100 T20I wickets during the 2024 edition, a milestone worth tracking as he chases more records in 2026.
Why the Africa Continental Cup 2026 Matters
This tournament isn’t just a trophy chase. Uganda treats it as direct preparation for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-regional Qualifier C, set for Lagos, Nigeria in October 2026. Rwanda and Kenya, meanwhile, have already secured spots in the 2027 Africa Regional Final after their Qualifier A results, so this event doubles as a form check ahead of that bigger stage.
For Botswana and Sierra Leone, every match here is a chance to close the gap on the region’s stronger sides. And for fans, five teams playing a genuine home-and-away format on the same ground means more cricket, more head-to-heads, and fewer dead rubbers than previous editions.
Final Word: Africa Continental Cup 2026 Starts From 8th September
Five teams, one ground, and a defending champion with something to prove.
The Africa Continental Cup 2026 gives African T20 cricket a proper stage between the bigger ICC qualifying events, and with Rwanda in career-best form on home soil, Uganda’s title defence won’t be a formality this time.
