East Africa will be ready for CHAN, ministers say, as August 2 kick off draws closer

East African Nations will be ready to host the African Nations Championships CHAN 2025 competition that is due to begin in August and have reiterated that they are fully in support of the tournament taking place.

CHAN is due to kick off August 2, 2025, and will end August 30. It will be played in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

In a joint press briefing held in Nairobi on June 3, 2025, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, Salim Mvurya, highlighted significant progress made by the host countries.

“We have convened here today to affirm our unity and resolve as the PAMOJA team in delivering a world-class tournament,” Mvurya stated.

He was joined by his Tanzanian counterpart Palalamagamba Kabudi, and Uganda’s Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang.

Both commended the regional cooperation and extended a warm invitation to fans and stakeholders across the continent to attend and support the tournament.

"We are prepared to host our friends from the continent and look forward to a successful event," Ogwang stated.

The tournament was initially set to take place in January this year but was moved to ease logistical challenges.

Kenya are in Group A and have been drawn with two-time winners Morocco and DR Congo, as well as Angola and Zambia, in a pool packed with past champions and quality teams.

Tanzania are in Group B and will take on Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Central African Republic in their pool.

Uganda were the seeds as hosts in Group C and meet Niger, Guinea, Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2.

Defending champions Senegal are the top seeds in Group D, which is a four-team pool, and will face Congo, Sudan and Nigeria. Matches in Kenya will be hosted at the Kasarani and Nyayo Stadiums in Nairobi.