Harambee Stars have found themselves in a challenging “group of death” for the delayed 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), set to take place in August 2025.
The draw, held on Wednesday evening at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, placed Kenya in Group A alongside powerhouse teams Morocco and DR Congo, as well as in-form Angola and Zambia.
This will be Kenya’s debut in the CHAN tournament, which is exclusively for domestic-based players. Both DR Congo and Morocco are two of the tournament’s most successful teams, each boasting two CHAN titles. The reigning champions, Senegal, who won their first title in 2022, will begin their title defense in Group D, which includes Congo, Sudan, and Nigeria.
Co-hosts Tanzania will compete in Group B, facing Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic. Meanwhile, Uganda has been drawn into Group C, where they will take on Niger, Guinea, and two other opponents yet to be determined following the completion of the qualifying phase.
The draw was conducted by CAF Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu, with assistance from East African football legends, including Kenya’s McDonald Mariga, Tanzania’s Mrisho Ngasa, and Uganda’s Hassan Wasswa.
CAF announced the postponement of the tournament to August, just 18 days before it was originally scheduled to kick off in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The governing body stated that “more time is required” to ensure that the infrastructure and facilities for the finals meet the necessary standards.
Originally, the 2024 CHAN was set to take place from February 1 to 28, with several countries already having announced their squads and begun training camps.
Full Draw:
- Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia
- Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
- Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Q2, Q1
- Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
The upcoming tournament promises to be an exciting showcase of African football, and all eyes will be on Harambee Stars as they aim to make their mark in this prestigious competition.
