Game On! Tanzania opens CHAN action against Burkina Faso tonight

The long wait is finally over. The eighth edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, the continent’s premier football tournament exclusively for home-based players officially kicks off tonight in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Hosts Tanzania are set to face Burkina Faso in the opening Group B fixture at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting month of football action in East Africa.

This edition marks a historic milestone as it is the first time CHAN is being co-hosted by three nations Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania under the Pamoja umbrella.

A total of 19 national teams have assembled their finest local-based talents, all with a shared dream to lift the CHAN title on August 28 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi. Senegal, the reigning champions, will not have it easy defending their crown.

As co-hosts, spotlight naturally falls on Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Usually, host nations tend to enjoy the advantage of home support. However, for the "Pamoja" trio, the immediate target is modest yet significant: breaking their group stage curse. None of the three nations has ever advanced past the group stage in CHAN history.

Kenya faces a daunting challenge in Group A, drawn alongside CHAN powerhouses Morocco and DR Congo, both two-time champions plus competitive nations Zambia and Angola. The Harambee Stars’ head coach, South African Benni McCarthy, will need to put together all his tactical expertise to guide Kenya out of a group many pundits have labelled as the group of death.

Tanzania, who are making their third appearance at the CHAN finals, are in Group B with Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Central African Republic, and Madagascar. Under the guidance of coach Hemed Sulaiman, the Taifa Stars are determined to make it out of the group stage for the first time in front of their home support.

Uganda’s Cranes, meanwhile, are carrying the hopes of a nation on home soil. Group c matches will be staged at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, and fans expect nothing short of history.

Drawn in a competitive group which features Algeria (runners-up from the previous edition), South Africa, Niger, and Guinea, Uganda faces a tough road. Algeria in particular poses a serious threat, with players known for European-style discipline, pace, and technical prowess. South Africa, too, fields players from the continent’s top league the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

The Cranes’ technical team is led by Morley Byekwaso, assisted by Fred Muhumuza, with veteran Belgian coach Paul Put overseeing the entire setup. Although officially a supervisor, Put is widely believed to be the brain behind the tactical plans of the Cranes.

CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024

Pamoja (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda)

Saturday

Group B

Tanzania v Burkina Faso 8pm

Sunday

Group A

Kenya v DR Congo 3pm

Marocco v Angola 5pm

Madagascar v Mauritania (Group B) 8pm

Group C

Monday

Niger v Guinea 5pm

Uganda v Algeria 8pm