President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will officially launch the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) this Friday, July 25, at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
The 12:00 PM event will mark the beginning of the tournament co-hosted for the first time by three nations; Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, and will also feature First Lady Janet Museveni, who doubles as the Minister of Education and Sports.
The 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) will run from August 2 to 30, and will be the eighth edition of the competition.
Speaking on NBS Sport’s Press Box show on Monday evening, Mark Namanya, the PR and Communications Manager of Uganda’s CHAN and AFCON Secretariat, reassured the public of the government’s commitment to delivering a successful tournament despite logistical challenges.
Namanya revealed that official tournament activations and ticketing details will be released later this week, coinciding with the presidential launch.
Uganda will host Group C matches at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
The Cranes will face Algeria, Guinea, Niger, and South Africa, beginning with a clash against 2022 finalists Algeria on August 4. All Group C fixtures are scheduled to kick off at 8:00 PM.
The tournament opens in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where the first match will be staged at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Action will then swing to Kampala for the third-place playoff, before the grand finale in Nairobi, Kenya, where a new CHAN champion will be crowned.
Nineteen teams are set to compete in the championship, which is exclusive to players competing in their respective domestic leagues, and is aimed at elevating homegrown talent.
As part of their final preparations, the Uganda Cranes are currently participating in the CECAFA Three Nations Championship in Arusha.
However, their campaign began on a low note with a narrow 1-0 defeat to hosts Tanzania, courtesy of Iddi Suleiman’s long-range effort in the 14th minute. Uganda will now face Senegal on Thursday in what is their last warm-up match before CHAN.
The Cranes, who have yet to advance past the group stage in previous CHAN appearances, are banking on home advantage and regional support to change their fortunes this time around.
Their build-up has included intensive training sessions at Luzira Prisons Grounds, MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo, and currently in Arusha.
