Football fans, the wait is almost over. The African Nations Championship (CHAN) is finally coming to our turf, not just in Nairobi, but across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. If you’ve been following local football, you already know how big this is. But even if you’re getting into it, here’s why you should care
So, What’s CHAN Anyway?
CHAN isn’t your usual AFCON-style tournament. It’s strictly for home-based players, meaning only guys who play in their own country’s domestic league can represent the national team. No big names from Europe here. It’s raw, local talent battling it out for continental bragging rights.
The tournament began in 2009 and has been held every two years since then. The 2025 edition, now scheduled for 2025, will be the first-ever CHAN jointly hosted by three countries. And guess what? Kenya is front and center.
Morocco Lands in Nairobi — Group A Looking Tight
Yesterday, the Moroccan national team landed at JKIA. Yes, the defending champions are already in town. Their early arrival shows that they are committed to defending their title.
The Atlas Lions, Morocco’s national team, are in Group A, alongside Harambee Stars, DR Congo, Angola, and Zambia. All their group matches will be played right here in Nairobi. So if you’ve never watched an international tournament live, this is your chance.
And let’s be real with names like DR Congo and Morocco in our group, it won’t be a walk in the park. But with home support and packed stands at Kasarani, you never know what our boys can pull off.
Big Money on the Table — CHAN Comes with a Serious Prize Tag
CAF recently announced that this edition of CHAN will feature the largest prize pool ever, approximately USD 10.4 million (KSh 1.3 billion).
The prizes are as follows;
- Winners are awarded KSh 452 million
- Runners-up get KSh 155 million
- Third place takes home KSh 90.4 million
- Fourth grabs KSh 77.5 million
- Quarter-finalists take home KSh 58.1 million
- Even teams that finish third in the group get KSh 38.7 million
- And every team, no matter what, walks away with at least KSh 25.8 million
What This Means for Harambee Stars
For our home team, just being in the tournament already guarantees some cash, but it’s more than that. With a strong showing, we’re talking about millions that could be reinvested in developing local players, improving training facilities, and boosting morale across the leagues.
Additionally, it’s an opportunity for our local heroes, including those from Tusker, Gor, AFC, the Police, and others, to showcase what they’re made of on the continent. Some of these lads could secure professional contracts simply by being seen on this stage.
Who’s Playing Where? Host Cities Breakdown
Here are various venues for all teams participating in CHAN;
Kenya, Nairobi, Group A – Kenya, Zambia, Angola, DR Congo, and Morocco
- Tanzania, Dar es Salaam: Group B – Tanzania, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, and Mauritania
- Uganda, Kampala, Group C – Uganda, Guinea, Niger, Algeria , and South Africa
- Zanzibar: Group D – Congo, Senegal, Nigeria, and Sudan.
The inclusion of Zanzibar among the venues indicates that fans from all parts of East Africa will get a taste of action.
Final Whistle: Why You Should Tune In
This isn’t just another tournament. It’s our chance as a region to shine. Kenya has never had the opportunity to host such a large-scale event since the 1987 All-African Games. Kenya is not only hosting a great tournament, but it’s also boosting national pride, generating business, and attracting tourism, while putting local talent on the map.
As patriots, we should get jerseys branded with Kenya’s flag, which shows our love for our country. It’s an appeal to fans and football lovers to flood the venues in large numbers to support our team as we send a signal to the entire continent that Kenyans love football.