The draw for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) took place Wednesday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, placing the two-time CHAN winners Morocco in Group A alongside hosts Kenya, Angola, DR Congo, and Zambia.
The draw ceremony , conducted by former African football stars McDonald Mariga, Mrisho Ngasa, Hassan Wasswa, and CAF Director of Competitions Samson Adamu, determined the fate of the 19 participating teams across four groups.
The tournament, initially scheduled for February, was postponed to August 2025, following CAF’s announcement on January 14 to allow more time for infrastructure preparations in the three host nations – Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Group A presents a challenging path for Morocco, who enter their fifth CHAN appearance as two-time champions (2018, 2020).
They will face stiff competition from DR Congo, winners of the 2009 and 2016 editions, alongside Angola, who finished as runners-up in 2011, and Zambia, who secured third place in 2009.
The remaining groups are distributed as follows:
– Group B: Tanzania (hosts), Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
– Group C: Uganda (hosts), Niger, Guinea, plus two teams yet to be confirmed
– Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
The competition format will feature four groups, with Groups A, B, and C containing five teams each, while Group D comprises four teams. The top teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
This eighth edition of CHAN marks the first time the tournament will be hosted by three nations, utilizing five venues across the region: Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium (60,000 capacity) and Amaan Stadium (20,000) in Tanzania, Namboole Stadium (45,000) in Uganda, and both Nyayo National Stadium (18,000) and Moi International Sports Centre (55,000) in Kenya.
The tournament’s prize money has been increased, with the winners set to receive $3.5 million. The competition remains exclusive to players actively competing in their domestic leagues.
Read also: Why CAF Delayed CHAN Until 2025, Revealed
