CHAN
Algerians are the latest to inaugurate a Nelson Mandela Stadium
Now there are at least three stadiums named Africa nelson Mandela, the former South African president and icon in Africa.
There is the Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth in his native South Africa. There is another one on the Nambool Hill in Uganda. Outside the continent, there is the Nelson Mandela Sports Centre at Neder-Over-Heembeek in Belgium.
The latest arena to bear the name is the just inaugurated Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algeria and will be one of the venues for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) that will open this coming weekend.
The new stadium whose bowel can take 40,000 spectators was opened on Saturday with a friendly match pitching the hosts against Ghana.
Vociferous local football fans and families were also present as the Local Desert Foxes played the Black Galaxies to a goalless draw in the entertaining warm-up match.
The stadium, named in honour of former South African President and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, is located in Baraki – a suburb of Algiers.
It will host its first official international match on Friday, 13 January 2023, when Algeria play Libya in the opening match of the CHAN tournament.
The venue will also host the final of the competition that is meant exclusively for home-based players in Africa on 4th February, 2022.
Algeria coach Abdelmadjid Bougherra expressed his admiration for the new Nelson Mandela Stadium, likening it to some of the top stadiums in Europe.
“To be honest, I felt I was in Europe. The new Nelson Mandela stadium has good pitches and good facilities,” said the former international defender who played for several clubs in Europe for over ten years.
“I am also happy about the fact that we also have European-class stadiums I saw when I was a player in Europe with similar atmosphere and facilities.”
His Ghanaian counterpart Annor Walker also hailed the giant edifice, convinced that it is a sign of Algeria’s good hosting of the impending tournament.
“Honestly, what I saw at Nelson Mandela Stadium made me rejoice. This is a gem which must be cherished by all Africans,” Walker said after the friendly match.
“It has also fully convinced me that Algeria is serious about football and that for this CHAN, everything will go well as far as facilities are concerned.”
The stadium will host national and international matches following its inauguration with the friendly between Algeria and Ghana.
This means it will host some matches of the senior national team the Desert Foxes as well as matches in the domestic leagues.
The clubs based in the city of Algiers like CR Belouizdad and USM Alger will be using the stadium as the venue for some of their home matches.
Head Coach Eric Chelle has released a 35-man provisional squad for Nigeria’s Super Eagles B ahead of the 8th African Nations Championship (CHAN), set to hold next month across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Among the invited players are team captain Junior Harrison Nduka, Papa Mustapha Daniel, and striker Anas Yusuf. First-choice goalkeeper Henry Ani also made the list, alongside defenders Waliu Ojetoye, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Mohammed Kabiru, and Uzondu Harrison.
The midfield ranks are bolstered by the inclusion of Saviour Isaac and Haddi Haruna, while the attacking lineup features Sunday Megwo, Adamu Abubakar, and Godwin Obaje.
Also making the squad are goalkeepers Kayode Bankole and Ebenezer Harcourt, defenders Sodiq Ismaila and Stephen Manyo Egbe, midfielder Adam Aminu, and forwards Atule Joseph and Temitope Vincent.
Nigeria, runners-up in the 2018 edition, are drawn in Group D of the expanded 19-team tournament. They will face defending champions Senegal, as well as Sudan and Congo.
The Super Eagles B are scheduled to play their first two matches—against Senegal and Sudan—at the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar, before traveling to Dar es Salaam to take on Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
All invited players have been directed to report at the Remo Stars Sports Institute in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, on Monday, July 7, with their international passports and valid club licenses.
35 PLAYERS FOR SUPER EAGLES B CAMPING IN IKENNE-REMO
Goalkeepers: Henry Ozoemena Ani (Enyimba FC); Kayode Bankole (Remo
Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Kwara United); Lawal Mustapha (Shooting Stars);
Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos)
Defenders: Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojewole (Ikorodu City);
Bankole Afeez (Kwara United); Taiwo Abdulrafiu (Rivers United); Uzondu
Harrison (Ikorodu City); Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars); Mohammed
Kabiru (Kwara United); Ngengen Leonard (Ikorodu City); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi
(Rangers International); Steven Mayo Egbe (Rivers United)
Midfielders: Adebayo Olamilekan (Remo Stars); Adejoh Ojonugwa (Abia
Warriors); Saviour Isaac (Rangers International); Musa Zayyad (El-Kanemi
Warriors); Haddi Haruna (Remo Stars); Otaniyi Taofik (Rivers United);
Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Adam Aminu (Kano Pillars);
Michael Tochukwu (Remo Stars)
Forwards: Anas Yusuf (Nasarawa United); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United);
Shola Adelani (Ikorodu City); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Temitope
Vincent (Plateau United); Ijoma Anthony (Abia Warriors); Atule Joseph
(Enyimba FC); Ayomide Cole (Ikorodu City); Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors);
Aniekeme Okon (Rivers United); Godwin Obaje (Rangers International)
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With just over a month to the kick-off of the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN), defending champions Senegal have begun early preparations by opening a two-week residential training camp ahead of the tournament.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) confirmed that the camp, which commenced on Monday, June 30, is taking place at the Jules François Bocandé Technical Development Centre in Toubab Dialaw. The training programme will run until July 11 and serves as a key phase in the Teranga Lions A’ team’s build-up to the continental competition.
CHAN 2025, which runs from August 2 to 30, will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Senegal, drawn in Group D alongside Nigeria, Sudan, and Congo, will play their group matches in Zanzibar.
A total of 28 players have been called up for this initial training phase, with selections drawn largely from standout performers in Senegal’s domestic league. Teungueth FC, reigning champions of Ligue 1, lead the contributions with four players in the squad. Other top clubs including Generation Foot, AS Pikine, Casa Sports, and ASC Jaraaf are also well represented.
According to the FSF, the camp is focused on tactical drills, fitness conditioning, and fostering team chemistry as the West African side seeks to retain the title they won in Algeria in 2023.
The coaching crew will use this period to assess player form and fitness while planning a series of test matches to fine-tune the squad ahead of the final list for the tournament.
The CHAN tournament, staged biennially, is exclusively reserved for players who compete in their respective national leagues. It serves as a key platform for local talent to gain international exposure and plays a vital role in player development across the continent.
Senegal’s early move into camp signals their serious intent to mount a strong title defence in what promises to be a fiercely competitive tournament. Their opening group game against Nigeria is already drawing attention as one of the headline clashes of the group stage.
Below is the full list of 28 players invited to camp:
Marc Phillips Arona Diouf (Teungueth FC), Idrissa Ndiaye (Génération Foot), Mouhamed Sissokho (Amitié FC), Amar Fall (AS Pikine), Elhadji Malick Sembene (Dakar Sacré-Coeur), Seyni Mbaye Ndiaye (US Gorée), Baye Assane Ciss (Teungueth FC), Ousmane Konate (AS Douanes), Daouda Ba (Dakar Sacré-Coeur), Alfred Gomis (US Ouakam), Amadou Bene Coly (AJEL Rufisque), Joseph Layousse Ifra Samb (Teungueth), Issa Kane (Casa Sports), Issaga Kane (ASC Jaraaf), Mbaye Yaya Ly (AS Pikine), Pape Abasse Badji (Génération Foot), Ousseynou Fall Seck (AJEL Rufisque), Insa Boye (Diambars), Libasse Gueye (Teungueth FC), Mangone Ndiaye (AS Pikine), Oumar Ba (US Gorée), Ameth Niang (ASC Jaraaf), Moustapha Fanne (Guédiawaye), Isma Gueye Kouate (Génération Foot), Mapathe Mbodj (AS Kaffrine), Christian Gomis (Essamaye FC), Seydina Madione Mbaye (AJEL Rufisque), Bonaventure Bonito Fonseca (US Ouakam)
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CHAN
CHAN 2024: Nigeria to Play Group Matches in Zanzibar as Tournament Serves as AFCON 2027 Dress Rehearsal
Nigeria’s Super Eagles B team will play their Group B matches of the 8th African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Zanzibar, an island territory of Tanzania, when the competition kicks off from August 2 to 30, 2024.
The island, located off the East African coast, has a population of under two million and is one of three host venues selected for the tournament.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Thursday that the CHAN tournament—reserved for players plying their trade in domestic leagues—will serve as a dress rehearsal for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Group B, where Nigeria is drawn, includes reigning champions Senegal, Congo, and Sudan. Congo was recently reinstated into the group following the expulsion of Equatorial Guinea by the CAF Appeals Committee.
The opening match of the tournament will be held at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Kampala’s Mandela Stadium in Uganda will host the third and fourth matches, while the final is scheduled for Saturday, August 30, at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
Nigeria, silver medallists in the 2018 edition and bronze winners in 2014, booked their place at this year’s finals after defeating Ghana 3-1 on aggregate in their qualifying tie last December.
GROUP A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia (Nairobi)
GROUP B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic (Dar es Salaam)
GROUP C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, South Africa, Algeria (Kampala)
GROUP D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria (Zanzibar)
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