Saturday, June 28, 2025-HAN
Source: News Central.Africa
The 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) is set to begin on August 2, with co-hosts Tanzania facing Burkina Faso in the opening match in Dar es Salaam.
The biennial tournament, exclusively for footballers playing in their home countries, will also see co-hosts Kenya and Uganda commence their campaigns on August 3 and 4, respectively.
Kenya, under the guidance of South African coach Benni McCarthy, will make their debut on August 3 against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Nairobi.
Uganda, despite participating in six of the previous seven CHAN tournaments without reaching the knockout phase, will start their challenge against Algeria on August 4 in Kampala.
Three former CHAN titleholders—DR Congo, Morocco, and defending champions Senegal—are among the participants.
Notably, Libya and Tunisia opted out due to domestic fixture congestion. Despite the absence of foreign-based stars like Mohamed Salah, CHAN matches hold full international status and contribute to world rankings.
The tournament serves as a crucial dress rehearsal for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will also co-host.
Tournament Fixtures (All times GMT)
Group A (Nairobi)
- August 3: Kenya v DR Congo (1200), Morocco v Angola (1500)
- August 7: DR Congo v Zambia (1300), Angola v Kenya (1600)
- August 10: Kenya v Morocco (1200), Zambia v Angola (1500)
- August 14: Morocco v Zambia (1400), Angola v DR Congo (1700)
- August 17: Zambia v Kenya, DR Congo v Morocco (both 1200)
Group B (Dar es Salaam/Zanzibar City)
- August 2: Tanzania v Burkina Faso (1700)
- August 3: Madagascar v Mauritania (1700)
- August 6: Burkina Faso v Central African Republic (1400), Mauritania v Tanzania (1700)
- August 9: C.A.R. v Mauritania (1400), Tanzania v Madagascar (1700)
- August 13: Madagascar v C.A.R. (1400), Mauritania v Burkina Faso (1700)
- August 16: C.A.R. v Tanzania, Burkina Faso v Madagascar (both 1700)
Group C (Kampala/Nairobi)
- August 4: Niger v Guinea (1400), Uganda v Algeria (1700)
- August 8: Algeria v South Africa (1400), Guinea v Uganda (1700)
- August 11: South Africa v Guinea (1400), Uganda v Niger (1700)
- August 15: Guinea v Algeria (1400), Niger v South Africa (1700)
- August 18: South Africa v Uganda, Algeria v Niger (both 1700)
Group D (Zanzibar/Dar es Salaam)
- August 5: Congo Brazzaville v Sudan (1400), Senegal (holders) v Nigeria (1700)
- August 12: Senegal v Congo (1400), Sudan v Nigeria (1700)
- August 19: Sudan v Senegal, Nigeria v Congo (both 1700)
Knockout Stages:
- Quarter-finals: August 22-23 (Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Zanzibar)
- Semi-finals: August 26 (Dar es Salaam, Kampala)
- 3rd place: August 29 (Kampala)
- Final: August 30 (Nairobi)
