[1] This competition also served as the CECAFA qualifiers for the 2023 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations as the two finalists of the tournament represented CECAFA in the CAF U-17 continental competition.

Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan and Eritrea were drawn into Group A and Uganda, Djibouti, Sudan, Burundi and Rwanda were drawn into Group B.

However, on 26 September, Eritrea and Rwanda withdrew from the competition, leaving both the groups with four teams.

[2][3] On 1 October, Djibouti and Sudan were disqualified from the tournament after some of their players failed the MRI test, leaving Group B with only two teams.

In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time is played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winners.