CHAN: 25 Days to Go as East Africa Gets Ready to Host Historic Tournament
The countdown is on, with just 25 days left until the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 kicks off. Final preparations are in top gear across the three host countries — Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
This year marks the 8th edition of the CHAN tournament, which is strictly for players who play in their home country’s domestic leagues. The competition will run from 2nd to 30th August 2024, and for the first time in history, it will be jointly hosted by three nations.
CHAN 2024 also serves as a trial run for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will also be hosted by the same three East African countries.
Opening Fixtures and Key Dates
The opening match takes place on Friday, August 2, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, where hosts Tanzania will face Burkina Faso.
The final match is set for August 30 at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, while the third-place match will be played on August 29 at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
Stadiums for CHAN 2024
After months of preparation and inspections, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has confirmed that all selected stadiums are ready for action. The five approved stadiums are:
- Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam – 60,000 seats
- Amaan Stadium, Zanzibar – 15,000 seats
- Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi – 60,000 seats
- Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi – 30,000 seats
- Mandela National Stadium, Kampala – 42,000 seats
Teams and Group Stage Format
A total of 19 teams will take part in this year’s CHAN tournament. They are grouped into four groups:
- Groups A, B, and C have five teams each
- Group D has four teams
The top two teams from each group will move on to the quarter-finals.
GROUPS
- Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia
- Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
- Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, South Africa
- Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
Senegal, who are the defending champions, return to defend their title. They will be joined by strong contenders like Morocco and DR Congo — the tournament’s most successful team.
Kenya and Central African Republic will be making their debut appearances, hoping to impress on the big stage.
CHAN 2024 promises to be an exciting tournament showcasing the best of African home-based talent, while also preparing East Africa for an even bigger football stage in 2027.
