The 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), officially dubbed CHAN PAMOJA 2024, kicks off this Saturday in Dar es Salaam with a host of groundbreaking developments, including a brand-new trophy and a dramatic 75% increase in prize money for the tournament winners.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that this year’s champions will walk away with a record USD 3.5 million—up from USD 2 million in the last edition—while the total prize pool for the tournament has climbed 32% to USD 10.4 million.

This financial boost underscores the growing status and commercial value of CHAN, the continent’s premier tournament for players competing exclusively in their national domestic leagues.

Adding to the sense of occasion is the introduction of a newly designed trophy, symbolizing a new era for the competition.

The prestigious silverware will be contested throughout the month-long event, which features 19 teams and will, for the first time in history, be co-hosted by three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The opening match will see hosts Tanzania face Burkina Faso at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam this Saturday with kick-off scheduled for 20h00 local time (17h00 GMT).

Matches will be played across four cities—Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kampala, and Nairobi—culminating in the final at the Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi, on August 30. The third-place playoff will be held in Kampala a day earlier.

The expanded format and multi-nation hosting reflect CAF’s ambition to elevate CHAN to new heights, both in terms of reach and competitiveness.

Heavyweights such as defending champions Senegal, two-time winners Morocco and DR Congo, along with Algeria, Nigeria, Zambia, and South Africa, are among the teams expected to light up the tournament.

The draw has produced several compelling group matchups. Group A features hosts Kenya alongside Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, and Zambia in what promises to be a fiercely contested pool.

Group B, where hosts Tanzania are drawn, also includes debutants Central African Republic, as well as Madagascar, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.

Group C will provide high-stakes action with Algeria, Uganda, South Africa, Guinea, and Niger battling for supremacy, while Group D features just four teams—Senegal, Nigeria, Congo, and Sudan—but boasts some of the tournament’s most successful sides.

With ticket sales already underway and fan engagement campaigns in full swing across all three host nations, CHAN PAMOJA 2024 promises to be a celebration of African football, culture, and unity. It also serves as a crucial platform for unearthing and showcasing local talent poised to break into the international spotlight.

As anticipation builds, all eyes now turn to Dar es Salaam for the much-awaited opening whistle of what is shaping up to be the most ambitious and lucrative CHAN tournament to date.

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Algerian referee Lotfi Bekouassa has been appointed to officiate the opening match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 between host nation Tanzania and Burkina Faso, scheduled for this Saturday at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Kick-off is set for 20:00 local time (which is 5 pm in Nigeria) in what promises to be a high-octane start to the eighth edition of CHAN – Africa’s flagship tournament reserved exclusively for players plying their trade in domestic leagues.

This year’s edition is historic, marking the first time CHAN will be jointly hosted by three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, under the tournament theme “PAMOJA” – a Swahili word meaning “together.”

Bekouassa, 38, is a seasoned official with over a decade of refereeing experience. Born in Algiers on January 9, 1987, he made his professional league debut in 2014 and has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2016.

Away from the pitch, he works as a teacher, a profession that mirrors his reputation on the field for calm authority, precision, and fairness.

Supporting Bekouassa in the tournament opener are fellow Algerian Adel Abane as Assistant Referee I and Tunisia’s Wael Hannachi as Assistant Referee II. The fourth official will be Algeria’s Houssam Benyahia.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team will also be on hand, led by Lahlou Benbraham of Algeria, with South Africa’s Akhona Makalima serving as Assistant VAR, highlighting CAF’s continued push for top-tier officiating and the integration of technology in its major tournaments.

The curtain-raiser between Tanzania and Burkina Faso is one of the most anticipated matches in the group stage.

With the hosts aiming to kick off their campaign on a strong note in front of an expectant home crowd, and Burkina Faso eyeing a statement performance, the atmosphere is expected to be electric.

CHAN 2024 features 19 teams from across the continent, all composed of home-based players, providing a showcase for local talent and offering many a platform to shine on the continental stage.

For Bekouassa, this assignment underscores his standing among Africa’s top referees and presents another opportunity to solidify his place in CAF’s elite officiating ranks as the tournament unfolds.

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Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles have been handed a potential advantage ahead of their opening Group D clash at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), as defending champions Senegal have lost their first-choice goalkeeper, Idrissa Ndiaye, to injury.

Ndiaye, who plays for Génération Foot, was forced off during the Senegal Cup final, which his club won 1-0 against Jaraaf.

The injury has now ruled him out of the CHAN tournament, just days before Senegal face Nigeria in their opening fixture on August 5.

The setback is a significant blow to the Teranga Lions’ preparations, with Ndiaye widely regarded as a key figure in coach Souleymane Diallo’s squad.

In response, Diallo has called up Cheikh Lô Ndoye of Jaraaf Dakar as a late replacement. Ndoye, a consistent performer in the Senegalese Ligue 1, was not initially named in the final squad but will now join the team in Tanzania on August 4, just 24 hours before the clash with Nigeria.

Ndoye joins Marco Diouf (Teungueth FC) and Samba Mballo (US Gorée) as the goalkeeping options available to Senegal for this 8th edition of the CHAN, which is exclusively for players plying their trade in their domestic leagues.

Nigeria, aiming for a strong start in a tough group, will be hoping to capitalise on any disruption in the Senegalese camp. After their opener against the Super Eagles, the Teranga Lions will go on to face Congo on August 12 and Sudan on August 19.

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