CHAN 2024 is set to begin on February 1, 2025. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had initially awarded co-hosting rights for CHAN 2024 to three countries from the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) zone: Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.
However, with Kenya struggling to meet the necessary requirements, Rwanda is being considered as a replacement co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
Kenyan media reports indicate that CAF delegates visited Kenya last week and expressed dissatisfaction with the state of preparations.
The delegates reportedly issued a deadline of December 31, 2024, for Kenya to complete the required work or lose its hosting rights.
Currently, Kenya has no approved stadiums for the tournament. Kasarani Stadium, one of the proposed venues, is only 30% complete, while Nyayo Stadium lags even further behind. Both are unlikely to be ready by the December deadline.
In contrast, Rwanda's infrastructure is well-prepared for hosting. Stadiums such as the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali Pelé Stadium, and Huye Stadium all meet CAF's standards and are capable of hosting CHAN matches. Rwanda had previously hosted the entire tournament in 2016, demonstrating its capability.
If Rwanda is confirmed as a co-host, it will join Tanzania and Uganda in organizing the competition. However, no official statement has been made by Rwandan authorities regarding this development.
Meanwhile, Rwanda's national team, Amavubi, is gearing up for two final qualifying matches for CHAN 2024 against South Sudan, scheduled for December 22 and 29, 2024.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-may-replace-kenya-as-a-co-host-of-chan-2024
