Ugandan football icon Hassan Mawanda Wasswa has been confirmed as one of the three legends who will oversee the highly anticipated 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) draw ceremony.
The draw is set to take place on Wednesday, January 15, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, at 8:00 PM local time.
The former Uganda Cranes player will join Kenya’s McDonald Mariga and Tanzania’s Mrisho Ngasa in conducting the ceremony for the eighth edition of the tournament, scheduled to run from February 1 to 28, 2025.
The trio, celebrated for their immense contributions to football in their respective countries, will play a pivotal role in mapping out the month-long competition’s schedule.
Hassan Wasswa is a respected figure in East African football, with a national team career spanning over a decade.
A versatile defensive midfielder, Wasswa earned 75 caps for the Uganda Cranes and featured in two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments.
Beyond his domestic achievements with clubs like KCCA and SC Villa, he enjoyed stints abroad in Turkey and Saudi Arabia before retiring in 2021.
Tanzania’s Mrisho Ngasa, another football legend boasts 100 international appearances and remains the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 25 goals.
Kenya’s McDonald Mariga, was the first Kenyan to play in the UEFA Champions League, where he won the title in 2010 with Inter Milan. His illustrious career also includes Serie A, Coppa Italia, and FIFA Club World Cup titles.
The 2024 CHAN tournament, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, will feature 19 nations, including defending champions Senegal.
The draw will officially determine the group stage matchups for the tournament, which celebrates African-based talent by exclusively featuring players competing in domestic leagues.
Qualified teams for the finals include co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, alongside Morocco, Guinea, Senegal, and Nigeria, among others.
Two additional teams are yet to be confirmed to complete the lineup.
