By GPC Reporter
Tusker FC will begin their return to continental football on Saturday when they face Sudanese side Al Ahli Madani in the first preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup.
The Brewers will play the first leg at Kigali Pele Stadium in Rwanda on September 5 before hosting Al Ahli Madani in the return leg in Nairobi on September 12.
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The campaign marks Tusker’s first appearance in CAF competition in four years, having last featured on the continental stage during the 2021/22 season.
The Nairobi-based club is returning to a competition in which it has a notable history. In 1994, when competing as Kenya Breweries FC, the club reached the final of the African Cup Winners’ Cup.
Tusker head into this year’s campaign with a revamped squad and renewed ambitions under head coach Juliet Mette, who has overseen the integration of experienced players alongside emerging young talent.
The Brewers also have early-season momentum behind them after defeating Gor Mahia 3-1 in the FKF Super Cup to win the first trophy of the 2026/27 season.
Speaking during the team’s send-off, KBL Marketing & Innovation Director Mark Mugisha said the return to continental football presented an opportunity for Tusker to revive its African ambitions.
“We are proud to see Tusker FC return to the continental stage. This is an opportunity for the team to build on the club’s proud history in African football and create a new chapter,” said Mugisha.
He urged the players to carry their domestic success into the CAF campaign but warned that continental football would present a different level of challenge.
“The Super Cup was a great start to the season, but this is another level of challenge. Our message to the team is simple; go out there, compete, play your football and make Kenya proud,” he added.
Mette believes Tusker’s participation in the recent CECAFA tournament in Rwanda has given the squad valuable exposure to regional opposition ahead of the CAF assignment.
The Super Cup victory over Gor Mahia has provided another competitive test for a side still taking shape under the new coach.
Mette said her immediate objective is to build a competitive team while establishing a clear identity that can sustain the club beyond the current campaign.
“We have a new cycle for the club. We have brought in experienced players who can provide leadership, alongside young players who have potential and are part of the project,” she said.
The coach, however, stressed that developing the squad remains as important as securing results.
“We have to win, but we also have to develop these young players,” Mette said.
She added that establishing a consistent playing philosophy would be central to Tusker’s long-term ambitions.
“For me, the long term is more important. We have to have a proper identity, a type of play and a style of play. We must be strong and respect our principles.”
The opening-round tie against Al Ahli Madani will therefore offer an early measure of Tusker’s progress under Mette, with the Brewers seeking a positive result in Kigali before the decisive second leg in Nairobi.
Advancing over the two legs would take Tusker into the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup and move them closer to the group stage.
For the Brewers, the immediate task is clear: negotiate the trip to Kigali successfully before completing the job on home soil a week later.
