African Nations Championship (CHAN), originally scheduled to kick off on February 1 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, has been postponed to August due to incomplete infrastructure, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Tuesday.
The 19-team tournament, which features national teams made up exclusively of home-based players, was intended to serve as a test event for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which the three East African nations are also set to host.
CAF acknowledged progress in the construction and upgrading of stadiums, training facilities, hotels, hospitals, and other infrastructure but stated that more time was needed to ensure they met the necessary standards for hosting the competition.
Statement from CAF
“Good progress has been made in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda with the construction and upgrading of stadiums, training fields, hotels, hospitals, and other infrastructure,” CAF said in a statement.
“However, the CAF technical and infrastructure experts have advised that more time is required to ensure that the infrastructure and facilities are at the levels necessary for hosting a successful CHAN.”
The postponement comes weeks after CAF President Patrice Motsepe visited Kenya and met with President William Ruto in an effort to accelerate preparations.
Despite the delay, CAF confirmed that the tournament’s finals draw will proceed as planned in Nairobi on Wednesday, with exact dates for the August tournament to be announced later.
CHAN, launched in 2007 to showcase home-based talent amid the growing dominance of foreign-based players in African national teams, has struggled to attract significant interest over its seven editions.
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CAF had previously considered removing it from its calendar.
Compounding the tournament’s challenges, several major African nations, including Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Tunisia, did not participate in the recently concluded qualifiers.
