Preparations have been finalized for the second edition of the Ateker Cup of Nations 2026, with the
Organizing Committee confirming its readiness to host the regional football championship in Soroti City,Uganda, from August 16 to 22, 2026.
Organized by the Ateker Sports and Arts Foundation (ASAF) under the theme “Building Bridges, Building
Champions,” the week-long tournament will bring together 42 teams from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan,and Ethiopia. The championship aims to promote peace, unity, and cultural integration among Ateker-
speaking communities through sport.
Speaking during the official preparations, Kenya Country Coordinator Brizan Were announced that 18 teams from Kenya’s host and refugee communities will participate in the tournament. He appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the County Government of Turkana, the County Assembly of Turkana, and the Ateker Leaders Council to support the initiative, describing it as an important platform for youth empowerment, regional integration, and cross-border cooperation.
They were also accompanied by Ateker Cup of Nations Chairperson Moses Esibitar and Football Kenya
Federation (FKF) Turkana Branch CEO David Loreng Kaaleng, who reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to a
successful championship.
The tournament will receive technical support from the Federation of Uganda Football Associations
(FUFA) and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), while organizers are also awaiting confirmation from
the football federations of South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Organizers have also confirmed that all matches will be free for fans, allowing thousands of football
enthusiasts to attend and celebrate the shared heritage of the Ateker communities.
Kenya heads into the tournament determined to win its first Ateker Cup title after an impressive
performance in the inaugural edition. Ngora FC of Uganda, the defending champions, will be among the
host nation’s representatives alongside Kumi FC, Bukedea FC, Soroti City FC, Soroti District FC,
Kaberamaido FC, Kalaki FC, and Serere FC.
Kenya will be represented by 18 teams, including Riverside FC Loima, Kibish North, Borderlands FC
North, Suguta FC, Kakuma Town FC, Virunga Kakuma Refugee FC, Kerio Superstars, Homeboyz
Napetet, Supa United, Kalokol Rangers, Napetet Titans, Kataboi FC, Hillside FC, Lokichogio FC,from
Turkana county and a team representing the Teso community, with the remaining teams completing
Kenya’s contingent.
With defending champions Uganda seeking to retain the trophy and Kenya aiming to bring the title home,
the 2026 Ateker Cup of Nations promises a thrilling week of football while continuing to strengthen
friendship, peace, and cultural ties across the region.
The tournament brings together communities that belong to the Ateker people—a broad ethno-linguistic
family believed to share a common ancestry and closely related languages across East Africa.
These include the Turkana and Iteso of Kenya, the Karamojong,Teso , Kumam, Jie, and Dodoth of
Uganda, the Toposa of South Sudan, and the Nyangatom of Ethiopia, among other related communities.
Beyond football, the Ateker Cup of Nations serves as a platform to celebrate this shared heritage while
promoting peace, unity, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation among communities whose borders
are divided by modern states but whose history and traditions remain closely connected.
