By Business Insider Reporter
The Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania has been selected to host the opening match of the delayed 2024 CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), kicking off what promises to be an electrifying pan-African football spectacle from 2nd to 30th August 2025.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed this week that the CHAN 2024 tournament will be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, with each country staging key fixtures across multiple venues – including a historic debut for Zanzibar, which will host Group D matches at Amaan Stadium.
Tanzania’s main sporting complex, the 60,000-seater Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, will be the epicentre of excitement on 2 August, as the continent tunes in for the tournament’s curtain-raiser.
The stadium – renowned for hosting major CAF, FIFA, and international fixtures – will also host all Group B matches.
Group B features Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic, with the Taifa Stars expected to draw massive home support as they seek to make a strong statement in front of their fans.
“It’s a big moment not only for Tanzania but for East African football as a whole,” said a source within the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF). “Hosting the opening match reflects CAF’s confidence in our ability to stage major continental events.”
Kenya to host grand finale
While Dar sets the pace, the tournament finale is slated for 30 August 2025 at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani in Nairobi, Kenya, following a joint agreement between CAF and the three host nations.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Mandela Stadium in Kampala will host the bronze medal match.
Regional showcase of football unity
This year’s CHAN edition will mark the 8th installment of the competition, which exclusively features players who compete in their respective national leagues.
The decision to co-host the tournament among three East African countries – and include Zanzibar as a standalone venue – is a significant milestone in regional sports cooperation and a nod to CAF’s commitment to inclusion and grassroots football.
The group stage locations are as follows:
Group A (Nairobi, Kenya): Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia
Group B (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania): Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
Group C (Kampala, Uganda): Uganda, Niger, Guinea, South Africa, Algeria
Group D (Zanzibar): Zanzibar, Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
What this means for Tanzania
For Tanzania, hosting the opener and a full group stage represents a strategic opportunity to showcase not only its sporting prowess but also tourism and infrastructure capabilities.
The CHAN opener is expected to attract thousands of visitors, with spill-over benefits for airlines, hotels, small businesses, and vendors around Dar es Salaam.
Sports economists also point to the soft power value of such events – positioning Tanzania as a reliable partner for international sporting bodies like CAF and a potential candidate for future tournaments.
With less than six weeks to go, preparations are in top gear across the host cities. For Dar es Salaam, the countdown has begun – and all eyes will be on Benjamin Mkapa Stadium come 2nd August, as Tanzania welcomes Africa to its footballing stage.
