The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the postponement of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) to August 2025.
The tournament, initially scheduled to begin on February 1, 2025, was set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
In an official statement, CAF acknowledged the progress made by the East African nations, particularly Kenya, in preparing to host the competition. However, the football governing body cited infrastructural shortcomings as the main reason for the delay.
CAF’s decision followed a detailed inspection by its Technical and Infrastructure experts, who assessed the readiness of facilities across the three nations. The experts concluded that additional time was needed to ensure the required standards for hosting a successful tournament were met.
“More time is required to ensure that the infrastructure and facilities are at the levels necessary for hosting a successful TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024,” the statement read.
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe expressed appreciation for the efforts made by President William Ruto and his counterparts in Uganda and Tanzania to meet the initial deadlines.
“I am impressed with the ongoing construction and renovations of football infrastructure and facilities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. I am confident that the stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals, and other facilities will meet the requisite CAF standards by August 2025,” said Motsepe.
Despite the postponement, preparations for the tournament continue, with the CHAN draw scheduled to take place in Nairobi on Wednesday, January 15, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. The draw is set for 8:00 p.m.
The news comes as a setback for Kenya’s sports ministry, which had hoped to demonstrate its readiness to host the tournament.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya had earlier expressed confidence in Kenya’s preparedness, highlighting the progress made at key venues such as the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani and Nyayo National Stadium.
“When you see the draw taking place here, it shows that our preparations have been top-notch, and we are ready to host the tournament,” Mvurya stated during a press briefing on Sunday.
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