The race towards the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) is about to begin with a decisive stage: the draw for the qualifiers scheduled for October 9. This competition, reserved exclusively for players playing in local African championships, already promises to be exciting. Who will have the chance to participate in this continental tournament which will take place in three East African countries in February 2025?
All eyes are on this key event which could redefine the ambitions of many teams.
A highly anticipated draw
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that the draw for the CHAN 2024 qualifiers will take place on October 9, 2024. This stage is decisive in determining the confrontations of the teams which will aim to qualify for the final phase, scheduled from 1st to February 28, 2025 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The local African national selections will have to prepare for a major challenge, with a first phase of qualifiers organized in two rounds: from October 25 to 27 and from November 1 to 3, 2024 for the first round, then from December 20 to 22 and from December 27 to 29, 2024 for the second round.
Varied qualification zones
The distribution of qualifying tickets has been revealed by CAF. Three teams will qualify in each of the UFOA A, UFOA B, UNAF, UNIFFAC and COSAFA zones. As for the CECAFA region, including the three host countries – Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania – it will benefit from an additional place, guaranteeing automatic participation for these nations. In total, 19 teams will have the honor of participating in this long-awaited competition.
Notable absentees
While many teams are actively preparing for their qualifying campaign, some nations will however ignore it. The Algerian Football Federation recently announced that it will not participate in this edition of CHAN. She prefers to concentrate her efforts on the development of young talents. For its part, the Gabonese Football Federation also withdrew due to a lack of preparation linked to the suspension of the national championship for two years.
Playoff Challenges
The CHAN 2024 qualifiers promise to be a journey strewn with pitfalls for the competing teams. The pressure will be at its peak from the first round. The teams will have to demonstrate their solidity and cohesion against equally determined opponents. In addition, the selections from the host countries, although automatically qualified, will still participate in this qualifying phase, a factor which could add an additional challenge to this competition.
On the way to a historic edition
This edition of CHAN 2024 promises to be memorable, not only by its holding in three East African countries, but also by the enthusiasm it arouses across the continent. CHAN has become a real springboard for local African players. This event offers a unique showcase to get noticed on the international scene. After Senegal’s coronation during the previous edition in 2023, which nation will win this time and mark the history of African football?
