In the heart of Kampala, where the pulse of football beats loudest, NEC FC has carved its name into the annals of Ugandan football history. The 2024/25 StarTimes Uganda Premier League season was a defining chapter for the club, one that culminated in an extraordinary achievement: qualification for the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2025/26.
For a team that only recently ascended to the top flight, finishing second in the fiercely competitive league was no small feat. It was a testament to the grit, unity, and ambition that have come to define NEC FC.The journey to this milestone was anything but straightforward.
The league season was a grueling marathon, with every match a test of resolve. NEC FC, under the guidance of a dedicated coaching staff and fueled by a passionate squad, rose to the challenge. Week after week, we battled against Uganda’s finest, stringing together performances that blended tactical discipline with moments of brilliance. By the final whistle of the season, we had secured second place, a position that sparked a sense of falling short across our fanbase having missed the trophy by only two points! However this performance through our the season was to be rewarded in an even more exciting way.
The path to the CAF Confederation Cup opened unexpectedly but deservedly. The league champions also clinched the Stanbic Uganda Cup, leaving a single slot for Uganda in the prestigious continental competition. According to FUFA statutes, that opportunity fell to the league’s runners-up—NEC FC. It was a moment of pride, not just for the players and staff but for every supporter who had cheered from the stands, waved flags in the streets, and believed in the club’s potential. For NEC, this wasn’t just a qualification; it was a chance to carry Uganda’s footballing hopes onto the African stage.
As the club prepares for its continental debut, the anticipation is palpable. The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2025/26 will see NEC FC take on Africa’s best, starting with the First Preliminary Round. According to the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF), these matches are scheduled for September 19–21, 2025, for the first leg, with the second leg following on September 26–28, 2025.
For NEC, a debutant in the competition and unranked among CAF’s seeded teams, these early rounds will be a crucible, testing our mettle against opponents yet to be determined. Advancing through this stage would lead to the Second Preliminary Round, set for October 17–19 and October 24–26, 2025, with the ultimate goal of reaching the group stage.
Our inaugural match at the continental level, should we progress to the group stage, is slated for November 21–23, 2025, marking Matchday 1 of the CAF Confederation Cup group stage. This will be a historic moment—the first time NEC’s players don the club’s colors in a CAF competition, representing not just themselves but the dreams of a nation.
The group stage, with matches stretching from November 2025 to February 2026, will see NEC compete in a home-and-away format, facing off against three other teams in a bid to reach the knockout rounds.
For the players, this is more than a competition; it’s a chance to etch their names into history. The fans, too, are gearing up, with plans already in motion to fill the stands with orange and green and songs, just as they did during the league campaign.
As we steps onto the continental stage, our story of resilience, ambition, and community is embedded in our hearts and spirits. The road ahead is daunting, but for a club that has already defied the odds, the CAF Confederation Cup is not just a challenge—it’s a chance to dream bigger.
On September 19, 2025, when the whistle blows for their first preliminary round match, we will not just be playing for a win; we’ll be playing for history.