Kenya Expresses Confidence in Continued Co-hosting of CHAN 2024

The African Nations Championship (CHAN), an international men’s football tournament for players participating in their continent’s domestic leagues, is set to be co-hosted by Kenya in 2024. Despite worries regarding its readiness for the event, scheduled to commence on February 1, Kenya has reaffirmed its dedication to the role. Kenya is expected to furnish two stadiums, Nyayo National Stadium and Kasarani Stadium, for the upcoming 19-team competition, which it will co-host with fellow East African nations Tanzania and Uganda. While local media reports indicated Kenya might forfeit its hosting privileges after a facility inspection last month, an official from the Confederation of African Football (Caf) informed the BBC that no such conversations had occurred. Kenya’s sports minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, conveyed to BBC Sport Africa, “With the benefit of hindsight, we put ourselves under pressure by hosting CHAN.” He added, “If we had taken more time to think through it, maybe, perhaps we should not have done so.” However, Murkomen affirmed, “But now that we have committed ourselves, we have decided that we will do everything in the books humanly possible to make sure that we achieve what we need to do.” This event marks the inaugural instance of three nations jointly hosting CHAN, a championship exclusively for players competing in their respective national domestic leagues throughout the continent. This secondary competition is viewed as a preparatory exercise for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, preceding their historic role as the first three-way hosts of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2027. The hosting rights for the upcoming year’s CHAN were granted in December 2023. At that point, Kenya lacked any Caf-approved stadiums for international fixtures, presenting a more challenging path to hosting. Nevertheless, the nation pledged to have two venues prepared for the tournament. In contrast, Tanzania already possessed a stadium meeting Caf’s requirements, and Uganda’s designated CHAN venue received approval this year. Murkomen clarified, “What brought us here is because of the status of our stadiums and the resources we need to renovate them.” He elaborated, “What we are doing is to expedite the processes of delivering.” He further stated, “Some of the things we would have brought by sea are being brought by air. Some of the things that the contractor was working on during the day, [they now] work overnight.” He concluded, “For now, there are certain contingency measures that are being put in place to make sure that we achieve CHAN. Then we can complete a stadium for Afcon.” The qualification phase for CHAN 2024 is slated for completion by the close of December. Murkomen indicated that any alterations regarding the venues for the finals rest with Caf. He stated, “It will not be our decision if it will be hosted in one stadium, it will have to be decision of Caf.” He also noted, “Up to now they have not done the team roster and the scheduling for which team is going to go to which country.” Nyayo National Stadium, which has historically served as a venue for Kenya’s home games, is currently undergoing renovations in preparation for the 2024 CHAN. Kenya possesses a notable history of challenges in organizing continental football competitions. In 1996, the nation forfeited its Afcon hosting rights to South Africa after its government notified Caf of its unpreparedness. This pattern recurred in 2017 when the country was deprived of the 2018 CHAN hosting duties. A Caf delegation conducted a three-day assessment last month in Nairobi, examining stadiums, hotels, airports, training facilities, and other infrastructure. Kabelo Bosilong, Caf’s host country manager for Kenya, informed the press that the governing body is dedicated to guaranteeing that “these tournaments will take place in the countries that it was intended to take place”. Kenya is projected to allocate more than $20 million towards stadium renovations. The sports minister has defended the decision to host CHAN, even as other national sectors face critical funding shortages; for instance, the education sector recently experienced severe disruption due to extended strikes. Murkomen remarked, “It usually comes up all the time when governments host (big events), whether it was the Olympics in London, the World Cup in Brazil and many other places.” He continued, “People keep asking ‘Why would you want to put this amount of money in football vis-a-vis other competing interests?’.” He explained, “The consideration that was made when we were bidding was also the benefits that come from it. We are thinking our tourism is going to go up.” He concluded by stating, “We also believe that it’s going to inspire growth in the sports sector, and many young people will get opportunities. We believe that football investors and football scouts will also see Kenya as a country [with] potential.”