The Patriots and Tigers Basketball Club started the 2025 Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) season strong, each claiming wins against Azomco and Espoir BBC, respectively.
The 2025 season of the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) officially began on Friday, January 24, at Lycée de Kigali. Last season’s finalists, the Patriots and Tigers, both started the season with impressive wins.
The Patriots, who lost to APR in last season’s playoff finals (4-2), welcomed a familiar face to the bench in a new role. Munyandamutsa’s influence was evident as the team dominated newcomers Azomco, securing an 89-64 victory.
The Patriots’ win was driven by Frank Betoudji Kamndoh’s dominant double-double of 18 points and 18 rebounds in 31 minutes.
The two-time Defensive Player of the Year added 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in his RBL 2025 debut. Steven Hagumintwari added 17 points to the team’s effort.
In the second game of the day, Nyamirambo-based Espoir faced off against Tigers BBC, a team that had a very active offseason.
Tigers, bolstered by key signings such as Pascal Niyonkuru and Herve Icyishatse from REG, Marius Ntwari, Dan Manzi, and Bruno Shema from the reigning champions APR, and 26-year-old Gabonese-Canadian Anthony Tsegakele, made an early statement by defeating Espoir 80-73.
Bruno Shema led the charge with 18 points, while Espoir’s Fortunate Mwanabene matched that effort with 18 points of his own.
The adverse weather in Kinyinya forced the rescheduling of the REG BBC vs. Orion game to Sunday, January 26.
More basketball action awaits this Saturday, including the debut of the women’s league.
Patriots’ Frank Kamndoh recorded a double-double with 18 points and 18 rebounds.Steven Hagumintwari (#23) and Azomco’s Blaise (#2) Mugisha both scored 17 points in the game.Sunny Munyandamutsa made his head coaching debut.Former Espoir player Ronald Nato Kolmia made his debut for the Patriots.Herve Icyishatse tried to defend Mwanabene during the Tigers vs. Espoir game at LDK.Bruno Shema attempted to get past Fabrice Muhoza, the RBL top blocker and Most Improved Player (MIP) from last season.
The Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) provides an overview of the 2025 basketball league and annual calendar while also explaining why the men’s league will feature a limited number of nine teams.
The governing body for basketball in Rwanda, on Friday, January 24, at BK Arena, outlined that the men’s league would feature only nine teams and clarified the decision to demote Flames during a media briefing.
Among the topics discussed, the decision to exclude Flames from the teams competing in the top tier drew the most attention and required detailed clarification.
FERWABA highlighted challenges encountered by previously promoted clubs, which struggled to sustain themselves financially throughout the season, leading to unfulfilled contracts and a tarnished reputation for the league.
To address these issues, the general assembly required newly promoted teams to submit a detailed action plan, including player and coach contracts, and demonstrate financial stability with a capital of 100 million Rwandan francs or a clear source of funding to support the entire season.
Despite being given a deadline of Friday, January 17, Flames failed to meet these requirements, resulting in their demotion to the lower division.
Claudette Mugwaneza Habimana, FERWABA’s technical advisor responsible for player eligibility and licensing, clarified the rationale behind the decision, emphasizing that it stemmed from the general assembly rather than the executive committee.
“We have experienced situations in previous seasons where promoted teams start the league strongly but face financial crises midway. This often leaves them with only five players or no coach, disrupting the league,” Mugwaneza explained.
“As a result, the general assembly decided that newly promoted teams must provide an action plan with a budget of at least 100 million Rwandan francs. Flames failed to fulfill these requirements by the deadline, which led to their demotion,” she added.
Following this decision, Flames, a youth-based team, returns to the second division as FERWABA revises the lower division’s schedule, and Flames will receive their fixtures next week.
The demotion of the Flames means the Rwanda Basketball League will proceed with 9 men’s teams with no other team being promoted to replace the Flames, as the same financial challenges could arise with a new team.
This decision aligns with FERWABA’s broader vision to transform the Rwanda Basketball League into a professional league. According to José Eduard Munyangaju, the vice president in charge of competitions, ensuring club stability is a key step in this transformation.
José Eduard Munyangaju, the vice president in charge of competitions at FERWABA
“We are starting with club stability to ensure financial sustainability. Soon, we will share a document outlining the terms of reference for consulting on how a professional league can operate in Rwanda. Discussions will follow, and by the 2026 season, we hope to have a clear roadmap for the league’s future,” Munyangaju stated.
The 2025 men’s league games will take place entirely in Kigali, at LDK, Kepler, Petit Stade, and BK Arena.
The defending champions, APR, who were originally scheduled to face the Flames on opening day, will now tip off their season against Orion on Saturday, January 25, at LDK.
FERWABA reports that the Rwanda Basketball League is the fourth most followed championship in Africa.
Munyandamutsa (black t-shirt) and his predecessor Henry Mwinuka
Patriots Basketball Club has promoted Sunny Munyandamutsa Niyomugabo to Head Coach, succeeding Henry Mwinuka, to lead the team in the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) starting this Friday.
Munyandamutsa, 33, has been part of the Patriots since their inception in 2014, serving as the club’s first captain. According to the club’s statement, he exemplifies the values of the Patriots, making him the ideal candidate to transition from captain to assistant coach and now head coach.
PATRIOTS NATION: We have a new Head Coach. SUNNY NIYOMUGABO.🏀
Coach Sunny, has been a pivotal figure in Patriots Basketball Club since day one. As Head Coach, he brings Passion, commitment, discipline and vision to the team. Join us in welcoming him.👇#TuriPatriotspic.twitter.com/JYvpU3A35m
The new head coach has extensive experience in the RBL, having won the 2010–11 league title with KBC before moving to APR in 2012. After three seasons with APR, he joined the Patriots during their inaugural season in 2014, where his leadership earned him the captaincy.
In 2016, he joined IPRC South, leading them to a historic RBL playoff title—the last team outside Kigali to win either the league or playoffs. Munyandamutsa returned to the Patriots in 2017 as a player and took on coaching duties as a player-coach in 2019.
From 2018, Patriots BBC and Munyandamutsa won three consecutive league titles.
This promotion makes him the second local coach to lead the Patriots, after Cyrille Karima, who coached the team from 2014 to 2015 while Munyandamutsa was captain.
Munyandamutsa succeeds Henry Mwinuka, under whom the Patriots finished second in the RBL last season, behind APR, and fans expect him to reclaim the league title, which the Patriots last won in 2020.
Patriots finished 2nd in RBL 2024
Munyandamutsa has been actively preparing the team during the offseason, overseeing preseason training at Kimironko Sports and Community Space.
He will make his head coaching debut this Friday in the league opener against Azomco.
Here’s a list of all-time head coaches for Patriots BBC :
Cyrille Karima 🇷🇼 (2014-2015)
Henry Mwinuka 🇹🇿 (2016-2019)
Carey Odhiambo 🇰🇪 (2019-2020)
Dean Murray 🇺🇸 (2020-2021)
Bernard Oluoch 🇰🇪 (March 2021 – April 2021)
Alan Major 🇺🇸 (April 2021 – May 2021)
Ogolla Benson 🇰🇪 (2021-2022)
Henry Mwinuka 🇹🇿 (2023-2024)
Sunny Munyandamutsa 🇷🇼 (2025 – Present)
Munyandamutsa was an assistant coach for the Patriots, who lost to APR 4-2 in last season’s playoffs.
The Rwanda Basketball League tips off on Friday, with Kepler facing Azomco in the opener.
The Rwanda Basketball League 2025 will begin on Friday, January 24, with 8 teams starting their quest to dethrone the back-to-back defending champions, APR, in the men’s category, while REG Women will be aiming for their 4th title since 2021.
The Rwanda Basketball League will tip off the 2025 season this Friday at LDK Gymnasium, with only 9 teams in the men’s category following Flame’s failure to meet the financial criteria set by the league regulator for top-flight teams.
Flame, promoted from Division 2 last season and made up mostly of youth players, focuses on development rather than competition.
The Federation chose not to replace them, leaving 9 teams to compete for the league crown.On the way to professionalizing the Rwanda Basketball League, teams must provide proof of 100 million Rwandan francs or a verified funding source to register players. Failure to do so will result in demotion to a lower league.
The Rwanda Basketball League, one of the most competitive basketball leagues in Africa, will tip off the 2025 season with 8 teams: Patriots, REG BBC, Kepler, Espoir BBC, Orion, UGB, Azomco, and Tigers, all vying to end APR’s two years of league dominance.
The back-to-back defending champions and league record holders (15 titles), APR Basketball Club, will begin their campaign against Orion, not Flame, as previously reported.
The army side is poised to challenge the 8 other clubs seriously, having retained its key players and added some of the best in the league, including Antino Jackson Alvalezes, to strengthen the roster as they will also compete in the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Last season’s runners-up, the Patriots, will face the newly promoted Azomco in the opening game on Friday at 6 p.m. at Lycée de Kigali Gymnasium (LDK).
FERWABA scheduled most games at LDK, with the regular season set to end on June 29. As usual, the crucial games will take place at the season’s tail end.
In the women’s category, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), the three-time champion and reigning champion, will begin their quest for a fourth title since the club’s inception in 2021.
The Super Cup winners will play UR Huye on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the league opener, and their main competition this season is expected to come from APR, their long-time rivals.
APR WBBC will play UR Kigali two hours after the REG-UR Huye game, with both games scheduled at LDK.
For the first time in Rwanda Basketball League history, a record 11 teams will compete in the women’s category: APR, REG, Kepler, The Hoops, UR Kigali, UR Huye, IPRC Huye, GS Marie Reine, GS Gahini, Azomco, and EAUR.
This is the largest number of teams in the women’s league, surpassing the 9 teams in the men’s category.
APR, the Rwanda Basketball League reigning champions and winners of inaugural Super Cup, are still the favourites for the titleREG WBBC are the defending women’s champions and winners of the Super Cup. They will facing a serious challenge from their rivals, APR, this season.
RRA easily defeated Kepler in straight sets to open the second phase of the Rwanda Volleyball National League on a high note. Police similarly stunned REG with a 3-0 win, enabling both teams to maintain their unbeaten records and remain at the top of the league.
Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) defeated Kepler 3-0 in a fast-paced match that lasted 1 hour and 16 minutes at the Petit Stade. The victory was a repeat of their dominant performance in the first leg of the league, where they also beat Kepler 3-0.
Coach Elie Mutabazi’s RRA started strongly, with receiver-attacker Oliva Nzamukosha and setter Jennifer Tembo forming a solid connection, and the combination helped RRA dominate the first set 25-17.
Elie Mutabazi instructs his players during the game.
Nzamukosha and her teammates kept up the momentum, effectively neutralizing Kepler’s Binta Fatoumata, a key threat. RRA clinched the second set 25-18.
In the third set, Nigerian international and right attacker for RRA, Elizabeth Ijeoma, who had started slowly, took control and led RRA to a commanding 25-16 victory, securing all three points.
RRA leads with 22 points (8-0), while Kepler is 4th with 12 points (4-4).
In the day’s second match, unbeaten Police VC faced second-placed REG VC. Police also triumphed in straight sets, keeping their flawless record intact.
Police VC defeats REG to remain atop Rwanda Volleyball National League.
The victory keeps them on top of the men’s standings with an 8-0 record. Police VC’s next challenge will come on January 24, when they face APR at the Petit Stade.
Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) won the maiden Rwanda Super Cup.
The reigning champions, APR Basketball Club and REG Women’s Basketball Club, claimed the maiden Rwanda Super Cup, signaling their determination to defend their league titles as the new championship tips off in one week.
On January 17, the first-ever Rwanda Super Cup saw the league champion face the Rwanda Cup winner to mark the beginning of the new basketball season in both the men’s and women’s categories.
In the men’s game, APR extended their dominance over Rwanda Energy Group (REG), securing a 73-53 win.
Aliou Diarra led the charge with a 19-point, 14-rebound double-double, while Israel Otobo’s competitive debut ended prematurely due to a knee injury.
The 2.03-meter Nigerian center remained on the bench for treatment and, after the game, received his medal in a wheelchair, surrounded by his teammates.
Despite Otobo’s injury, APR’s performance remained strong, with Osborn Shema and Diarra stepping up against an unfit Francis Azolipe, who was making his REG debut.
APR’s win over REG emphasizes the Army team’s dominance over the electricians, as they beat them in every competition they met in last season, including a 3-0 sweep in the playoffs, which paved their way to the finals.
In the women’s category, Lamla Umunezero’s 20 points led REG to a 76-64 upset over APR, securing their first trophy of 2025.
The 22-year-old Lamla Umunezero guided REG to their first Rwanda Super Cup title.
REG has dominated APR in this category, having defeated them in a one-sided seven-game final series to win the RBL 2024 title, outscoring them in the FIBA WBLA Zonal Qualifiers, and now triumphing in the Rwanda Super Cup.
Rwanda Energy Group Women Basketball Club
The two games, played at BK Arena on Friday night, revealed that both teams still lack fitness ahead of the championship, which will tip off in one week.
APR BBC and REG WBBC will begin their quests to defend their league titles on Friday and Saturday, respectively, against Flame and UR.
APR and REG, in both the men’s and women’s categories, will face off this Friday, January 17, competing for the first-ever Super Cup, which marks the start of the 2025 basketball season in Rwanda.
Kigali’s BK Arena will host the Rwanda Super Cup on Friday night to tip off the new basketball season.
The Super Cup, one of the General Assembly resolutions, will, starting this year, pit the league champion against the Rwanda Cup winner to mark the beginning of the new season in both the men’s and women’s categories.
APR Basketball Club claimed the league title and clinched the inaugural Rwanda Cup in the men’s category. They will face REG BBC, the Rwanda Cup finalist, as per the competition’s rules.
On their way to last season’s title, APR swept past REG 4-0, setting up finals against the Patriots, where they triumphed 4-2 to defend their crown. Will the Super Cup be the electricians’ opportunity for revenge?
In the women’s category, the rivalry will resume as the reigning league champions, REG Women BBC, will take on APR Women BBC, the Rwanda Cup winners. The two teams faced off multiple times at the end of last year, with Rwanda Energy Group prevailing each time.
REG swept APR 4-0 to claim the 2024 RBL title and went on to defeat them again in Zanzibar during the FIBA WBLA Zonal Qualifiers. However, APR’s bronze medal at the FIBA WBLA in Dakar will inspire them to challenge REG’s in the Super Cup ahead of new season.
APR and REG are the powerhouses of women’s Rwandan basketball.
The women’s game is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m., followed by the men’s clash at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ticqet.rw.
The Rwanda Basketball League will officially be launched on January 24, one week after the Super Cup.
The second phase of the Rwanda Volleyball National League begins on Friday, January 17, at Petit Stade, with Police VC and RRA seeking to preserve their perfect records in both the men’s and women’s categories.
After a month-long break for the festive season and the first leg break, the volleyball action shifts from sand to indoor courts as teams resume their journey toward the Rwanda Volleyball League 2024-25 title.
Fred Musoni’s police team finished the first phase unbeaten, with seven victories, and will start the second phase against REG VC—the same opponent they faced in the league opener.
FRVB scheduled this highly anticipated match for 7:00 PM, with REG—who finished second after the first leg—seeking to bounce back from a 3-0 loss in the opening round
If they fail to respond, they could suffer a double defeat against a direct title contender in the regular season.
Before the Police-REG clash, Rwanda Revenue Authority will face Kepler WVC at 5:00 PM. The tax collectors are currently at the top of the women’s standings with a perfect 7-0 record from the first leg.
Elie Mutabazi’s RRA will continue pursuing the league title, which the team last won in 2023, as they face the league debutants. Despite a narrow 3-0 loss (25-22, 25-21, 25-22) to RRA in a closely contested first-leg match, Kepler has shown strong competitiveness in their debut season.
Kepler finished fourth in the first leg, a position that guarantees a playoff berth if they maintain it through the end of the regular season.
The Rwanda Volleyball National League 2024-25 season features 8 teams in each category, and the top four teams will advance to the playoffs to determine the league champions.
The highly anticipated Rwanda Premier League (RPL) Match Day 15 doubleheader in Huye District, which marked the climax of the first leg, saw Mukura and Amagaju defend their home turf and claim bragging rights by overcoming league powerhouses Rayon Sports and APR.
Amagaju FC shocked APR FC 1-0, a day after Mukura Victory Sports stunned league leaders Rayon Sports 2-1, both matches held at Huye Stadium.
Mukura Victory Sports ended Rayon Sports’ unbeaten run in the 2024-25 RPL season, stopping it at 14 games with a thrilling encounter.
Jordan Dimbumba opened the scoring in the 39th minute, and Fred Niyonizeye doubled the Yellow and Blacks’ lead three minutes later, giving the home team a 2-0 advantage at halftime.
Two first-half goals helped Mukura bring an end to Rayon Sports’ unbeaten run
Fall Ngagne pulled one back for Rayon Sports eight minutes into the second half with a penalty, but the resilient Mukura held on until the 90th minute, despite the pressure from Rayon Sports fans who filled Huye Stadium.
The final 2-1 result in favor of Mukura set the stage for the eagerly anticipated Sunday matchup between Amagaju and APR to conclude Match Day 15 of the first leg.
What goes around comes around: While APR fans were still celebrating Mukura’s victory, Amagaju added more drama to the weekend by defeating APR 1-0, thanks to Eduard Ndayishimiye’s 56th-minute goal.
The standings at the top remained unchanged, with Rayon Sports finishing the first leg with 36 points, 5 points clear of second-placed APR. Mukura and Amagaju sat in 7th and 8th positions, respectively, with both teams having 21 points each.
The Huye district enjoyed a vibrant three-day extra-football atmosphere, with parties and celebrations extending beyond the matches and local businesses such as restaurants, bars, and hotels experiencing high demand from Friday evening through Sunday.
The RPL second leg is scheduled to begin in early February, contingent upon the national team’s participation in the CHAN tournament.
The Rwanda Premier League (RPL) has approved Mukura’s request to reschedule their fixture against Rayon Sports to Saturday, January 11, at 5 p.m. at Huye Stadium.
The Rwanda Premier League released a statement this Tuesday regarding the Matchday 15 fixture between Mukura Victory Sports and Rayon Sports.
In the statement, RPL addressed recent speculation about the kickoff time and confirmed that they had received and approved Mukura’s request to shift the kickoff to 5 p.m.
The Mukura versus Rayon Sports match is one of the most anticipated fixtures of RPL Matchday 15, as the Blues travel to the Southern Province to maintain their unbeaten run and continue their pursuit of league glory, which has eluded them since 2019.
Mukura once halted APR’s longest unbeaten run and is poised to present a tough challenge to the Blues, potentially stopping their current form. The two teams share a longstanding and friendly rivalry, with both enjoying significant fan bases in the Southern Province.
The Yellow and Blacks currently sit in 8th position with 18 points, half of Rayon Sports’ 36 points at the top of the table.
The matchup is one of the most-watched matches in the Rwanda Premier League. As of the time of publishing, Huye-based Mukura has announced that fans have already booked 81% of VVIP, 42% of VIP, 28% of regular, and 42% of general seats, meaning that ticket buyers have reserved 41% of the total seats at Huye Stadium just 76 hours before kickoff.
Huye District will be the epicenter of Rwanda Premier League action this weekend, as the second-placed APR will also face Amagaju on Sunday at the same venue.
