The 2024 Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) is finally here, ready to serve the East African nations and the entire African continent with entertaining, quality football from August 3rd to 30th.
At first, the eighth edition of the tournament was planned for February 1st to 28th, but was postponed after Confederation of African Football (CAF) Technical and Infrastructure experts some of whom were based in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, advised that more time was required to ensure that the infrastructure and facilities, are at the levels, necessary for hosting a successful tournament.
After several months of waiting, the CHAN will finally be staged in East Africa, to be precise, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It is the first edition of the tournament to be jointly hosted by three countries, and also the first time the competition is being staged in East Africa.
In addition, the 2024 CHAN will act as a test run and curtain raiser for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to take place in the East African region in 2027. The tournament will also welcome another first-time participant, the Central African Republic.
Groups, and where they will be based
Following Libya’s withdrawal after qualifying, due to scheduling conflicts, the tournament will adopt a four-group format: Groups A, B, and C will each have five teams, while Group D will comprise four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, after which the tournament will proceed to the semi-finals, third-place playoff, and final.
Group A: Kenya will host the group that comprises Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia with matches scheduled for Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium.
Group B: Tanzania will be the group that has Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic and all matches will be staged at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam.
Group C: The matches involving Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, and South Africa will be hosted at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda which is also designated to host the third place play-offs.
Group D: The group with defending champion Senegal, Congo Brazzaville, Sudan and Nigeria, which is the only group with four teams, will be hosted at the newly refurbished Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
The Stadiums of 2024 CHAN:
• Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam (60,000 seats)
• Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi (60,000 seats)
• Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi (45,000 seats)
• Mandela National Stadium in Kampala (45,000 seats)
• Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar (15,000 seats)
How can I watch CHAN matches?
Tanzania will host the grand opening ceremony and opening on August 2nd, before their national team, Taifa Stars, take on Burkina Faso. Back in Nairobi, Kenya’s Harambee Stars, who will be under the guidance of Benni McCarthy, will begin their campaign against DR Congo at Kasarani Stadium on Sunday, August 3rd.
In Kenya, the government-owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) will transmit live all the matches. Meanwhile, across Africa, football fans can catch every thrilling moment of CHAN live on SuperSport TV, the official broadcaster of the tournament.
SuperSport will provide comprehensive coverage, including live matches, expert analysis, and highlights. beIN SPORTS will also broadcast all the matches live.
Brief history of CHAN
Unlike the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the CHAN tournament features only players who play in their national domestic leagues. That means no European-based stars – only local talent representing their countries.
Senegal will enter the competition as the reigning champions, while Morocco and DR Congo hold the distinction of being the most successful nations in CHAN history, having won the tournament twice each.
The tournament began life in 2009 with eight teams, which was doubled for the second edition up until the sixth and has currently been contested by 18 teams since the 2022 edition.
Dennis MabukaFlashscore