The 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), originally scheduled to begin on February 1st, has been postponed to August 2025, just 18 days before its kickoff.
The tournament was set to be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) stated that the delay was necessary to allow more time to ensure that infrastructure and facilities meet the required standards.
Despite assurances from Kenya’s former sports minister last month about the country’s preparedness, concerns over readiness persisted. Caf President Patrice Motsepe expressed confidence that the stadiums and facilities would meet the necessary standards for a successful tournament in August 2025. The CHAN, primarily for domestic-based players, is also seen as a test event ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will also be hosted by the three nations.
While the tournament’s kickoff is postponed, the group draw will proceed in Nairobi as planned, even though the full roster of participating teams has not been finalized. Initially, 19 nations were set to compete, but the withdrawal of Libya and Tunisia left gaps in the lineup. Caf is expected to organize additional qualifiers to fill these vacancies.
Questions about the viability of CHAN remain due to its scheduling during domestic leagues, which complicates player availability. However, Caf has boosted the competition’s appeal by increasing the winner’s prize money by 75% to $3.5 million, with a total prize pool of $10.4 million. The tournament, which began in 2009, was last held in early 2023 in Algeria, where Senegal emerged victorious.
Kenya (co-hosts), Tanzania (co-hosts), Uganda (co-hosts), Angola, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, DR Congo, Guinea, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Zambia.
