Kenya's Obucuun Border FC wins second edition of Ateker Cup of Nations

v

Kenya's Obucuun Border FC wins second edition of Ateker Cup of Nations

Soroti, Uganda (23rd August 2026)

SponsoredMakao254

Kenya’s clean, verified property marketplace for rentals, serviced apartments, homes for sale and office spaces

List with us Today.

Busia-based Kenyan side Obucuun Border FC from Teso has been crowned champions of the second edition of the Men's Ateker Cup of Nations after beating Uganda's Kumi FC 4-3 on penalties at Oligoi sports Stadium in Soroti City, Uganda.

The victory puts Kenya at par with Uganda at one title apiece after Uganda's Ngora FC won the inaugural tournament held in Lodwar, Turkana in Kenya in 2025. Teams from South Sudan and Ethiopia are yet to lift the title.

Obucuun Border FC had earlier shown their intent in the competition, beating Kumi FC 2-1 in the group stage. The two sides advanced to the knockout stage before meeting again in the final, where they settled for a 1-1 draw in regulation time, forcing a penalty shootout to decide the winner.

Kumi FC, on the other hand, had enjoyed a near-perfect run, outclassing their opponents with classy goals from top striker Ocen Micah, who scored eight goals and won the Golden Boot Award.

The week-long tournament from 16th to 22nd August attracted more than 1,000 players drawn from 42 teams, up from 26 teams in the previous edition. Organizers estimated crowds of over 40,000 fans who thronged Oligoi Stadium and its environs, with stakeholders calling on organizers to professionalize the tournament and commercialize the competition.

The tournament is modelled around the Ateker concept, a collection of communities sharing cultural heritage, including the Teso and Turkana from Kenya, Karamoja from Uganda, Toposa from South Sudan and Nyangatom from Ethiopia. The communities live side by side despite the international borders separating them.

Apart from the sporting event, Ateker community is best known for the annual welcome home festival christened "Tobonglore" Festival that honours Turkana as the origin of Mankind and celebrates culture as a tool for peace and diplomacy in the border areas. These communities have historically experienced tension and conflicts.

Organizers believe that football is now moving from a community activity to a regional sporting brand that calls for recognition by regional and continental football governing bodies including the Council for East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) and Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Away from the field of play, lead organizer Brizan Were said the increase in participating teams shows the tournament is becoming the go-to platform for the Ateker youth to meet, showcase talent and preach peace in the region.

"Even as we congratulate Obucuun Border FC for winning the ultimate prize, the Ateker Cup of Nations is finally playing a role in healing historic divisions and animosity between Ateker communities," Were said.

He lauded the involvement of Ateker leaders, including former Cabinet Secretary John Munyes from Kenya, Turkana Governor Dr Jeremiah Lomorukai, Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore of South Sudan, and Ateker Union Chairperson Peter Lokeris from Uganda.

"From the very first time this year's edition was launched by Kenya's Ambassador to Uganda, Ababu Namwamba, we have witnessed massive support from Ateker leaders from all four countries. The organizing committee treats this as a show of commitment. The Ateker Cup of Nations therefore has a bright future," Were added.

According to Were, Kenya had three categories of teams from Turkana, Teso and the Refugee camp participating in the Tournament in a bid to boost host refugees Integration and promote peace. He lauded UNHCR and development partners for their support towards logistics and team preparations.

In his remarks, the Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Joseph Eciru Oliach, urged participants to leave the tournament as builders of bridges, as emphasized by the tournament's rallying call, "Building Bridges, Building Champions."

In this year's edition, the Women's cup was won by Soroti City Women of Uganda who defeated Kaberamaido by two goals to nil in the finals. They walked away with Ugandan shillings 2 million.

Obucuun Border FC walked away with Uganda Shillings 5 million, approximately Ksh 175,000, for winning the tournament.