The African Nations Championships commonly referred to as CHAN will take place between February 1 and 28 across three countries, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Eighteen teams qualified for the event, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Morocco, Sudan, Niger, Central African Republic, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Nigeria, DR Congo, Rwanda, Angola, Senegal, Madagascar, Congo Brazzaville, and Mauritania. However, do you understand the dynamics of this competition? This article answers, “What is CHAN in African football?”
Why Was CHAN Started?
The first edition of CHAN was held in 2009 in Ivory Coast. This came two years after, the late former president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Issa Hayatou made a proposal for this event. The idea behind it was to have a tournament for domestic based players only to showcase continental talent.
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In contrast to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which allows players from any league in the world to play, CHAN focuses on African-based footballers. Furthermore, in its inaugural tournament, CHAN had only eight team and that has now grown to 18. Its held every two years and alternates with AFCON.
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How Do Teams Qualify for CHAN?
Similarly to AFCON and other international competitions, CHAN qualification begins with regional qualifiers through which nations fight for one of 18 slots available. These competing nations are divided into regions, West Africa, Southern Africa, or North Africa, to provide a balanced chance for representation. Once teams have qualified, they are grouped into four, and the top two teams proceed to the knockout stages during the competition.
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Differences Between CHAN and AFCON
CHAN and AFCON are organized under the auspices of CAF. However, while both are football tournaments, they have a couple of differences.
Player Eligibility
CHAN is dedicated to African based players while AFCON accommodates players from any league around the world. This means you won’t watch African stars like Mohammed Salah or Sadio Mane.
Driving Purpose
CHAN is meant to give players in African leagues an opportunity to play at an international stage, allowing them to be scouted by other nations. Additionally, CHAN highlights the need to develop grassroots football and local infrastructure. On the other hand, AFCON focuses on showcasing the best African players, many of whom are established in foreign leagues.
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How Does CHAN Impact African Football?
CHAN’s impact on African football is evident, with the quality of matches the tournament produces. These are some of them
Platform for Local Players
Local players receive exposure they might not get from competing at CHAN. Some players who excel receive contracts in foreign leagues, a marker of the tournament’s success. Scouts from other countries attend games to identify the most promising players.
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Strengthen Domestic Leagues
The focus on homegrown players means that every nation should build its leagues and avail proper infrastructure to ensure it produces the best talents.
Cultural Pride
Continental competitions foster a sense of pride in ourselves. It demonstrates that people are truly invested in local football, despite European leagues having a stronghold across Africa.
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Challenges CHAN Faces
Despite its allure, CHAN faces various challenges including limited media coverage. CAF has its own media team but that is not sufficient to reach people. The need to have mainstream media outlets broadcast it will help gain more visibility. Additionally, individual countries tend to struggle to prepare for events due to limited cash. For example, Sierra Leone (2020), South Sudan (2022), Central African Republic (2020).
Conclusion
What is CHAN in African football? The article provides a clear explanation of the tournament, why it was started and details of this year’s event. How often do you follow African football and do you watch CHAN?
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