Niger have become the first foreign team to arrive in Uganda for the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN), signaling the latest step in the final buildup to the much-anticipated continental tournament.
The West African side touched down at Entebbe International Airport on Tuesday morning and received a warm reception as they settled into their new surroundings ahead of the tournament kickoff.
Niger have been drawn into a highly competitive Group C, where they’ll face co-hosts Uganda, as well as South Africa, Algeria, and Guinea.
Led by head coach Doula Harouna, “The Mena” will open their campaign on Monday, August 4, with a clash against Guinea at 5 p.m. That match will be followed by Uganda’s opener against Algeria at 8 p.m. on the same day.
Niger’s meeting with Uganda is set for August 11 under the lights at Namboole Stadium. Having reached the semi-finals in the 2022 edition in Algeria, the team arrives not just to compete but to challenge for honors once again.
This will be Niger’s fifth appearance at the African Nations Championship, a tournament reserved exclusively for players based in domestic leagues. They made their CHAN debut in 2011, and their best performance came in 2022 when they topped their group and beat Cameroon 1-0 in the quarter-finals before finishing fourth overall.
Their route to CHAN 2024 wasn’t easy. The Mena edged past Togo in the qualifiers on away goals after a 1-1 draw in Lomé and a goalless second leg at home.
CHAN 2024, jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, will officially kick off on Friday, August 2, with group stage matches spread across the three East African nations.
