This postponement announced in a statement means the three East African Community (EAC) countries will have to wait longer, with CAF revealing the tournament will take place in August 2025.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the postponement of the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 which was scheduled to be hosted in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from February 1, 2025.
This postponement announced in a statement means the three East African Community (EAC) countries will have to wait longer, with CAF revealing the tournament will take place in August 2025.
CAF, the African football governing body, said it acknowledged the good progress made by the three nations in terms of the construction and upgrading of stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities for the hosting of a successful tournament.
Technical and infrastructure experts from CAF have cited otherwise; that the infrastructure levels were still not up to standards. They had conducted a thorough inspection of the progress made on facilities across the East African countries, including Kenya.
Players standing in front of the CHAN trophy. /BBC
“However the CAF Technical and Infrastructure experts some of whom have been based in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, have advised CAF that more time is required to ensure that the infrastructure and facilities are at the levels, necessary for hosting a successful Total Energies African Nations Championship (“CHAN”) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024,” the statement read in part.
The President of CAF Dr Patrice Motsepe expressed his deep gratitude to President William Ruto of Kenya, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda for their leadership, commitment and the good progress that has been made in building and upgrading the stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for hosting a successful CHAN 2024.
“I am impressed with the ongoing construction and renovations of the football infrastructure and facilities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. I am confident that the stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals and other infrastructure and facilities will be at the requisite CAF standards for hosting, in August 2025, a very successful Total Energies African Nations Championship (“CHAN”) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 2024,” he remarked.
Despite the postponement, CAF is still expected to conduct the CHAN draw in Nairobi, on Wednesday, January 15 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). The draw is set to take 8:00 pm Kenyan time.
The exact date in August 2025 of the commencement of CHAN 2024 will be announced by CAF in due course.
The latest development will come as a blow, particularly to Kenya’s sports docket, which was intent on proving to the continent its ability to meet deadlines.
On Sunday, new Sports CS Salim Mvurya was upbeat and confident that the 60,000-capacity Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani and the 30,000 Nyayo National Stadium were ready to host the competition.
However, spot checks on the stadia indicated that despite immense efforts, the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani was still lagging in some sections, while the Nyayo Stadium was 80% complete, with grass and dressing rooms being the key areas that underwent revamping.
“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 said during a press briefing.
