The stage is set for a historic chapter in the 2024 CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), as Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda gear up to co-host the tournament for the very first time.
This landmark joint hosting not only elevates the prestige of CHAN but also acts as a strategic warm-up for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will similarly take place across the three East African nations.
19 teams are set to battle for continental glory, with defending champions Senegal aiming to retain their title against strong contenders such as Morocco and DR Congo, both two-time winners, alongside traditional giants Nigeria, Algeria, and Zambia.
ACLSports takes a deep dive into the group stage battles of the highly awaited tournament scheduled to unfold from August 2 to 30, 2025.
Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia
On paper, Group A is definitely the toughest group of the tournament with three continental heavyweights. One of the co-hosts, Kenya, will have to play their best football yet to progress at the expense of former champions Morocco and DR Congo, who have both won the tournament on two separate occasions. One fixture to look out for in the group will be the clash between the two former champions, and it will come up on August 17th at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
Zambia and Angola complete the group, and they have a knack for causing upsets in major tournaments. Hosting the tournament could give Kenya a vital advantage, but they must start strong if they’re to navigate a group where each point will be hard-earned in the battle for qualification. Regardless, Morocco and DR Congo are favourites to progress from the group.
Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
Unlike group A, this is a quite open group with hosts Tanzania with a slight upper hand. They will be banking on their home support when they take to the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium pitch in Dar es Salaam. However, it is not expected to be straightforward for them with the likes of Mauritania, who reached the last eight in the last edition, and Madagascar, who came third in 2022, expected to provide stiff competition.
Despite Burkina Faso‘s rich tournament experience, they have failed to go past the group stages in previous tournaments. They will need to come together as a team and give themselves a better outing this time around in East Africa.
Making their first appearance, the Central African Republic remain a mystery in this tournament. They might falter under pressure or catch their opponents off guard if taken lightly. Group B is set to deliver intense contests with no clear favourites for the top two positions.
Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, South Africa
Co-host Uganda are a regular face in the CHAN tournaments, but they have not made a significant impact yet. Playing on home soil in this edition could be the turning point for them. In a group that has last edition’s losing finalists, Algeria, they will need to be at their best to pick the two quarterfinal spots. Algeria have won the Africa Cup of Nations in the past, and they will be keen to add this continental title to their cabinet after their 2022 failure on home soil. On the other hand, backed by a solid team filled with home-based talents, South Africa are eager to surpass their past CHAN outings and prove their mettle on the continental stage.
Meanwhile, Guinea boasts a reputation for nurturing skilful, technically adept players, and they will pose a serious threat if they manage to transform that talent into steady, impactful displays. On the other hand, Niger brings valuable tournament experience to the table and are renowned for their disciplined, tight-knit defensive style that can unsettle and wear down any opposition.
Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
This is the smallest group of the competition, but it still houses some powerhouses who will be in contention for the title. Defending champions Senegal are easily the favourites of the group, but it is expected that Eric Chelle‘s Nigeria will provide some competition. The Super Eagles last featured in the tournament in 2018 when they lost to Morocco in the final. It is Nigeria’s fourth appearance in the tournament, and they have only failed to finish on the podium once (2016).
Congo’s powerful, straightforward approach poses a real challenge to any team they face, while Sudan, known for punching above their weight at CHAN, will be looking to revive their past heroics. The clash between Senegal and Nigeria in Zanzibar on August 5th is one of the fixtures of the tournament.
The tournament will kick off with an electrifying opener at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Action will then shift to Kampala, Uganda, for the battle for third place, before reaching its grand finale in Nairobi, Kenya, where a new champion will be crowned in Africa’s premier competition for home-based talent.
