The official draw for the 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) will be held on January 15 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
This event marks a pivotal moment for Kenya as it prepares to co-host the prestigious tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
Set to take place from February 1 to February 28, 2025, this eighth edition of CHAN will showcase African footballers competing exclusively from their domestic leagues. The draw will feature 18 teams, including co-hosts Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, alongside confirmed participants such as Morocco, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Congo, DR Congo, Zambia, Angola, and Madagascar.
In a statement from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the tournament is anticipated to be a spectacular display of African football prowess. Notably, Senegal, the reigning champions from 2022, who triumphed over Algeria in the final, will also participate.
Kenya’s readiness to host CHAN has been under scrutiny due to delays in the renovation of key venues like the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, and Nyayo Stadium. Speculation about Rwanda stepping in as a co-host only added to the uncertainty.
However, the formation of a Local Organising Committee (LOC) in December, led by former Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, has revitalized the preparation efforts. The government has pledged to complete the necessary upgrades by January 20, ensuring the venues are tournament-ready.
This progress is a significant relief for Kenya, a country that has previously faced setbacks in hosting continental football events. Notably, it lost the hosting rights for the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) to South Africa and the 2018 CHAN to Morocco due to infrastructure shortcomings.
Hosting CHAN 2024 will be a landmark achievement for Kenya, marking its debut in organizing a continental football tournament. It represents a chance to showcase its capability to deliver a world-class sporting event, laying a strong foundation for co-hosting the 2027 Afcon with Uganda and Tanzania.
As preparations gather pace, excitement is building across the continent, with football fans eagerly anticipating a tournament that promises to elevate East African football to new heights.
