CHAN 2024: Kenya’s Blunder That Denied Country Extra Group Stage Matches

An aerial view of the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani earmarked for CHAN 2024 (Photo Credit: Courtesy)

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An aerial view of the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani earmarked for CHAN 2024 (Photo Credit: Courtesy)

CHAN 2024: Kenya’s Blunder That Denied Country Extra Group Stage Matches

Joel Omotto 15:30 - 21.06.2025

Kenya would have hosted extra group stage matches during the CHAN 2024 tournament but one major mistake saw the country miss out.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) finally revealed the distribution of matches for the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN 2024) this week.

CAF confirmed that Tanzania will host the opening match, Uganda the third-place playoff while Kenya gets the final.

In between, it was also revealed which countries will host group stage matches with Kenya getting Group A, whose clashes will be held at Nairobi's Kasarani and Nyayo Stadiums, with Harambee Stars set to face Morocco, Angola, DR Congo and Zambia.

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Group B matches will be staged at Dar es Salaam's Benjamin Mkapa Stadium where Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic will contest, while Uganda’s Nelson Mandela Stadium (Namboole) stages Group C which will see the Cranes take on Niger, Guinea, South Africa and Algeria.

Group D clashes will be hosted at Zanzibar's Amaan Stadium with Senegal, Congo, who were added after a CAF Appeals Board’s decision replacing Equatorial Guinea, Sudan and Nigeria.

Why Did Kenya Miss Out on Extra Matches?

However, Kenya stood a chance of hosting some Group D matches but lost out due to the country’s lack of adequate infrastructure despite an earlier promise that all will be availed in time to CAF.

Kenya had promised to provide six training grounds and one additional pitch to be used by referees but only four facilities were ready in time, meaning they could not host extra matches.

With facilities like Kirigiti Stadium still fresh construction sites, with just over a month before the tournament kicks off, Ulinzi Complex, Kenya Police Sacco grounds and Kasarani Annex were not enough to allow Kenya host extra group stage matches, hence the decision to take all Group D clashes to Zanzibar.

Slow progress in the readiness of stadiums and training grounds from the three East African nations is the reason CAF pushed the tournament from February to August but the window of opportunity has not been fully utilised, forcing the continent’s football governing body to strike a compromise.