The TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations is just a few days away as 19 teams will be competing for the trophy for the first time in East Africa.
Co-hosts Kenya will debut and face two-time winners DR Congo and Morocco plus Angola and Zambia in Group A.
In the first of our five series about profiling each group, Ismael Kiyonga gives you everything you need to know about teams in each group starting with A.
Kenya
Nickname: Harambee Stars
Number of Appearances: 1st
Titles: None
FIFA Ranking: 109 (July 2025)
How They Qualified
Kenya secured their place in the CHAN 2024 tournament as one of the three co-hosting nations. This historic opportunity offers the Harambee Stars a chance to showcase their talent on one of Africa’s biggest stages.
Coach: Benni McCarthy
Head coach Benni McCarthy brings valuable experience to the team, having coached several teams in the South African top-flight as well as working with some top clubs in Europe including Manchester United. His tactical acumen will be crucial in navigating Kenya’s CHAN campaign.
Past CHAN Performances
This marks Kenya’s first-ever participation in the CHAN tournament. The Harambee Stars will look to make history by advancing as far as possible in the competition.
Morocco
Nickname: Atlas Lions
Previous Appearances: 4 (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020)
Best Finish: Champions (2018, 2020)
CHAN Titles: 2
FIFA Ranking: 14
Head Coach: Tarik Sektioui
Former international Tarik Sektioui brings considerable experience to his role as head coach of the Atlas Lions. His playing career saw him don the colors of several European clubs, including FC Porto and AJ Auxerre, before transitioning into coaching where he has enjoyed success with various Moroccan clubs including FUS Rabat, RS Berkane, and AS FAR. His appointment marks a new chapter as Morocco seeks unprecedented success in the competition.
Sektioui, who has previously managed Morocco’s U19 and Olympic teams, faces the considerable challenge of maintaining the nation’s dominance in the competition. His extensive experience with local football, having managed several top-tier Moroccan clubs and won both domestic and continental titles, positions him well for this task.
How They Qualified
The Atlas Lions qualified automatically for CHAN 2024 as the only representative so far from the North African Football Union zone. They enter the tournament sharing the record for most titles (2) with DR Congo, making their fifth appearance in the competition since their debut in South Africa 2014.
Morocco at CHAN
Morocco’s journey in CHAN has been particularly impressive in recent years. After their first appearance in 2014, they participated in three consecutive tournaments (2016, 2018, and 2020), culminating in back-to-back victories in their last two appearances. Their absence from the 2022 edition has only heightened their determination to reclaim the trophy.
Fun Fact: Morocco became the first host nation to win the CHAN tournament in 2018 and the first country to win back-to-back titles (2018, 2020)
DR Congo
Nickname: The Leopards
Number of Appearances: 7 (2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022, 2024)
Titles: 2 (2009, 2016)
Coach: Otis N’Goma
Otis N’Goma brings a modern tactical approach to DR Congo, emphasizing disciplined defense and swift counter-attacks. His preference for ball possession, quick transitions, and adaptability ensures his team remains competitive against the toughest opponents.
How They Qualified
The Leopards demonstrated their resilience during qualification. After being held to a 1-1 draw by Chad in the first leg, they turned the tables with a convincing 3-1 home victory to secure their spot in the tournament.
Zambia
Nickname: Chipolopolo
Total Appearances: Four (2009, 2016, 2018, 2020)
Last Appearance: Cameroon 2020
Best Finish: 3rd (2009)
Titles: 0
FIFA Ranking: 83
How they qualified:
Zambia qualified as a result of a walk-over following the pulling out of Mozambique.
Previous TotalEnergies CAF CHAN performance:
The 2024 finals will mark Zambia’s fifth appearance at continental showpiece, with their last appearance being in 2020.
Their best performance came in the inaugural edition where they finished in the top three with a bronze medal following their 2-1 victory over Senegal.
Following their third-place finish in 2009, Zambia have since advanced from the group stages in all their appearances (2016, 2018, 2020) but failed to advance further than the quarter-final.
Angola
Nickname: The Sable Antelopes
Total Appearances: Four (2011, 2016, 2018, 2022)
Last Appearance: Algeria 2022
Titles: 0
FIFA Ranking: 85
How they qualified:
Angola had a tricky opponent in Lesotho who have been on an impressive rise of form of late.
The Sable Antelopes advanced to the finals after overcoming Lesotho over two legs to secure their fifth TotalEnergies CAF CHAN appearance.
Head coach: Pedro Gonçalves
Angola will be under the tutelage of Pedro Gonçalves, a man who has grown in leaps and bounds over the years with Angolan national team.
Upon his 2018 arrival, Gonçalves was appointed the Angola U-17 national team coach where he hit the ground running with a COSAFA Cup U-17 gold medal which was followed by a third-place finish at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON, as well as guiding his side to their first ever FIFA U-17 World Cup, where their journey ended in the Round of 16.
The 48-year-old caused a number of upsets in Cote d’Ivoire where he guided the Angola to an impressive Quarter-Final finish at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
Past CHAN performances
In their four previous appearances, Angola’s best run came in their debut at the Sudan finals where they finished fourth behind the hosts.
After missing out on the 2016 edition in Rwanda, they finished fourth at the 2018 finals in Morocco before their comeback in Algeria 2022 where they could not advance from the group stages.
Additional reporting: CAFonline
Meanwhile, you can buy your ticket for all Group C matches at Namboole by clicking here and follow instructions.