Aasai

The CHAN tournament was established in 2009 by the Confederation of African Football and features players playing in domestic leagues only.  The eighth edition of the CHAN finals, which was supposed to be held last year, will kick off today at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with hosts Taifa Stars taking on The Stallions from Burkina Faso starting at 8pm.

The CHAN tournament was established in 2009 by the Confederation of African Football and features players from the domestic leagues only.Five nations have won the previous seven editions, with DR Congo and Morocco emerging as winners twice each.

The other teams that have won one title are Libya, Tunisia and Senegal.The number of teams participating in this years tournament is 19, up from 16.         

Group A

Kenya, Zambia, DR Congo, Angola, Morocco

Group B

Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Madagascar, Central African

Group C

Uganda, Niger, South Africa, Algeria, Guinea

Group D

Nigeria, Senegal, Congo, Sudan

For the first time, VAR will be used in Kenya.Kenya was given the CHAN qualification in 2018, but was forced to withdraw after the finals were moved to Morocco.

CHAN statistics

The opening match will be played from 8pm tonight at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with the hosts taking on Burkina Faso in Group B. 

The final will be preceded by an opening ceremony from 1pm. 

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are jointly hosting the tournament from today until August 30. 

Five stadiums – Benjamin Mkapa in Dar es Salaam, Mandela in Kampala, Uganda, Kasarani and Nyayo in Nairobi, and Amaan in Zanzibar – will jointly host 44 CHAN matches. 

The countries are using the CHAN to test their mettle in preparing for the 2027 AFCON.

Kenya will host 13 matches, including 7 at Kasarani Stadium, including Harambee Stars Group A matches and the quarter-finals.

Key figures

Kenya and the Central African Republic are the two teams representing the tournament for the first in history making creating and bulding the market strategy for the country .19 nations are participating for the first time.The winner of the tournament will receive about 450 million Kenyan shillings.The new tournament will reward the winners.

Kenya will host 13 matches, Tanzania 19 matches, and Uganda 12.

This is a great test for East Africa teams Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as the prepare to host AFCON in the year 2027 , whereby they need to showcase their potential