Burundian champions Vital’O FC have announced that they won’t take part in the forthcoming CECAFA Kagame Cup 2024 which will take place in Tanzania and Zanzibar from July 6-22.

Vital’O is the latest club to withdraw from the tournament after Congolese giants TP Mazembe and Tanzania’s Azam FC and Malawian side Nyasa Big Bullets also pulled out.

The quartet’s withdraw has seen the number of participants reducing to 12 down from the initial 16 teams that had confirmed their participation.

CECAFA could consider replacing teams which have withdrawn from the competition, with Police FC of Rwanda said to be the latest addition.

Organised by Council for East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA), the tournament rebranded to CECAFA Kagame Cup since 2002, when President Paul Kagame began sponsoring the competition. It is contested by clubs from East and Central Africa.

Remaining teams for CECAFA Kagame Cup 2024:

El Merreikh, Al Hilal, Hai El Wadi (all from Sudan), Young Africans SC, Simba SC and Coastal Union FC (all from Tanzania), Gor Mahia FC (Kenya), SC Villa (Uganda), JKU SC (Zanzibar), El Merreikh FC-Bentiu (South Sudan), APR FC (Rwanda) and Red Arrows FC (Zambia).