CAF bars Ethiopian Stadiums as Insurance forced to host Pyramids in Kigali

Ethiopian Insurance’s hope of playing at home in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League second preliminary round game against holders Pyramids has been dealt a huge blow after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) barred Ethiopian stadiums from hosting continental club competitions.

The Ethiopian champions will now host the 2025 Super Cup winners in Kigali on Sunday, October 26.

An attempt by the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) to get the green light from CAF to host the game on Ethiopian soil has failed. The African football governing body recently barred the Abebe Bikila Memorial Stadium from being a venue for the Champions League game.

A CAF inspection team also gave negative feedback after inspecting the Dire Dawa Stadium over the weekend. Now, Insurance will be forced to play their home game against the Egyptian side at the Amahoro Stadium. The stadium was used by the Ethiopian national team during the last 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifier.

CAF Drops the Hammer

Ethiopian Insurance initially opted to play their game against Pyramids at the Dire Dawa Stadium. The stadium has undergone major refurbishment recently, but Pan Africa Football understands the inspection team sent by CAF told local authorities that the nearby school and the lack of a medical room in the stadium make it unsuitable to host continental matches.

Gebremedhin Haile’s charges are now tasked with overcoming the current Champions League holders at a neutral venue. Pyramids, in the last qualifying round, beat Rwandan side APR 5–0 on aggregate. Insurance plans to replicate the history of Ethiopian clubs, Ethiopian Coffee and Saint George by eliminating an Egyptian side.