The Confédération of African  Football, CAF has confirmed that Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania as co-host Nations of the  Africa Nations Championship (CHAN). It will run from February 1 to 28 next year.

However, the host stadiums and training venues are yet to be confirmed. The qualifying series will begin on the weekend of 25-27 October 2024 and continue on November 1 to 13.

The Second Round of the Qualifiers will be played on 20-22 December and 27-27 December 2024.

The qualification slots for the tournament have been allocated as follows:

Zones WAFU A, WAFU B, UNAF, UNIFFAC, and COSAFA will each have three qualifying teams.

The CECAFA zone, which includes the three host countries, will receive an additional slot due to their automatic qualification as hosts. As a result, the total number of teams qualifying for the final tournament will be increased to 19 teams.

Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will participate in the Qualifiers and in addition to their automatic qualification as hosts, the team achieving the best result in the CECAFA qualifiers will also advance to the final tournament. Senegal won the last edition held in Algeria last year.

Following the meeting of the Confédération Africaine de Football, CAF Executive Committee in Nairobi, Kenya on Monday, 16 September 2024, the CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe confirmed the dates of the African Nations Championship CHAN 2024 final tournament.

The African Nations Championship CHAN 2024 will be played between 01 – 28 February 2025.

The first round of Qualifiers will be played on the weekend of 25-27 October 2024.

CHAN is scheduled to be hosted in East Africa. CAF will communicate in due course stadiums and other venues to be used for the competition.

On Sunday, CAF President Dr Motsepe visited some of the venues in Kenya that are being prepared for CHAN.

While noting the progress made and the commitment of the Government of Kenya, Dr Motsepe said there was a need for everyone to work together with speed to ensure that all venues and facilities are ready for the Competition.

Senegal are the current champions of CHAN after they defeated hosts, Algeria two years ago in Algiers.

More troubles brew in CAF as the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) is set to appeal the CAF decision on the Algeria’s prevention of Morocco from defending their African Nations Championship title  in Algeria last month.

Last Saturday, CAF’s Disciplinary Committee absolved Morocco of any blame for their inability to feature in the tournament that is designed for home-based players and dismised Algeria’s claim for damages, but was silent on possible sanction on Algeria.

A retaliatory action is now being feared as Morocco could boycott the U17 Africa Cup of Nations which Algeria will host next month.

According to Morocco World News, the kingdom has  announced its decision to appeal the inaction from CAF against Algeria’s hostile acts during the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

President of the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, announced the news, stressing Morocco’s dissatisfaction with CAF’s decision.

CAF in its statement at the weekend stressed that the provisions of “strict liability” could not have been “foreseen and should not apply arising out of the statement made by Zwelivelile Mandela, a grandson of the legendry Nelson Mandela during the opening ceremony of CHAN.”

CAF merely sent a “formal reminder” to theAlgerian Football Federation to be “aware of the provisions of vicarious liability and strict liability that may be applied in the future as a result of any political statements.”

Earlier this year, Algeria deprived Morocco’s team of participating in CHAN by refusing to allow the Atlas Lions to fly directly from Rabat to Constantine.

Algeria’s regime also invited Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Zwelivelile Mandela, who delivered an anti-Moroccan speech that challenged Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over Western Sahara. At the opening ceremony, Algerian fans were seen chanting anti-Morocco slogans.

In response to CAF’s low-key action against Algeria, Lekjaa stressed that CAF mentioned that Morocco is not responsible for not taking part in the competition. However the official body failed to state who would be held responsible for the team’s non-participation.

“We are not satisfied with CAF’s decision and we will appeal,” Lekjaa said, describing the anti-Morocco rhetoric as “unreasonable.”

“It is unreasonable that our team is prevented from defending its title and Moroccan fans are insulted with obscene remarks and racist remarks during the opening ceremony and in the presence of senior CAF officials,” he said.

He also condemned hostile remarks made against Morocco, stressing that Zwelivile’s speech “carries hatred and targets us.”

CAF’s Saturday statement acknowledged that the Atlas Lions were deprived of their rights to participate in the competition.

The confederation’s  Disciplinary Committee concluded that FRMF was unable to travel and participate in the CHAN “due to circumstances totally beyond their control, and as such no sanction of whatsoever nature is imposed on the Royal Moroccan Federation.” 

The board also dismissed the Algerian Football Federation’s claim for damages.

Lekjaa stressed that Morocco’s U17 team is also ready to boycott the next African Cup of Nations (AFCON)) which will take place in April in Algeria, if the Atlas Lions are not allowed to fly directly to the host country. 

“The U17 national team will not participate in the next AFCON if we do not take a direct flight as indicated by CAF regulations,” he concluded.