Overview:
Uganda is pooled in group C alongside Algeria, Niger, Guinea and South Africa.
CHAN 2024 (Uganda Cranes’ group C matches):
- Monday, 4th August 2025: Uganda Vs Algeria – Mandela National Stadium, Namboole (8:00 PM)
- Friday, 8th August 2025: Guinea Vs Uganda – Mandela National Stadium, Namboole (8:00 PM)
- Monday, 11th August 2025: Uganda Vs Niger – Mandela National Stadium, Namboole (8:00 PM)
- Monday, 18th August 2025: South Africa Vs Uganda – Mandela National Stadium, Namboole (8:00 PM)
The Uganda Cranes are set to take on Algeria in the official opening match of the delayed CHAN 2024 tournament at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
Led by Morley Byekwaso, who serves alongside Fred Muhumuza, Stephen Billy Kiggundu (goalkeeping coach) and a couple of other staff, the team has been in intense preparations for the past couple of weeks.
Byekwaso has hinted about the team’s readiness, the support from the other technical team members, including the head coach of the senior team, Paul Put; the players’ commitment and desire to play before the home fans.
“We have had good preparations for the CHAN 2024 tournament. All the players have been focused, dedicated, hard-working, and God fearing. They are aware of the demands for the team and what it means to play for the home fans at such a stage,” Byekwaso spoke to the media.
The former U-20 national team head coach who led the Hippos to silver at the 2023 All-African Games has hailed the impact of Paul Put on the team.
“Paul Put has helped us a lot. I personally requested his services and availability. He is vastly experienced and has been around Africa for more than 20 years. He is a big resource, and we have made the best use of him. We have really learnt a lot from him,” Byekwaso spoke of the 69-year-old Belgian.
Byekwaso insists that the prime objective is to qualify out of the group phase for the first time ever in the history of the CHAN competition.
The Cranes lost and won over Tanzania and Senegal during the three-nation tournament at Karatu in Tanzania, matches that Byekwaso believes taught the team good lessons.
“We had very good games during the three-nations tournament with several warm-up games. The matches were very useful in confidence building, game management and we used them as learning platforms,” he added.
Uganda is pooled in group C alongside Algeria, Niger, Guinea and South Africa.
Three countries, Algeria, Niger and Guinea already checked in at their respective team hotels in Kampala, Uganda, with South Africa arriving on the morning of Sunday, 3rd August 2025.
The CHAN tournament brings together players who ply their trade in the respective domestic leagues will be played from 2 to 30 August 2025.
Hosted across the vibrant East African nations of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, this eighth edition of CHAN will feature 19 national teams made up exclusively of players competing in their home leagues. It’s a celebration of local talent, national pride, and the beautiful game – African style.
Last week on Friday, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officially launched Uganda’s Local Organising Committee official website, logo and the team jersey for Uganda Cranes at the Kololo Ceremonial Independence Grounds, Kampala.
Uganda Cranes’ matches:
Uganda Cranes open up the campaign against Algeria on Monday, 4th August 2025.
The second match will be against Guinea on Friday, 8th August.
The third game comes on Monday, 11th August against Niger, and the last group game will be against South Africa on Monday, 18th August, before the knockout round comes in.
History of CHAN:
Launched in 2009 and contested every two years, the African Nations Championship (CHAN) features exclusively players active in their national domestic leagues, offering a platform for emerging local talent.
The inaugural edition was won by DR Congo (beating Ghana 2-0), then Tunisia triumphed in 2011. Libya lifted the trophy in 2014 via penalties, followed by DR Congo again in 2016 to become the first two-time champion.
Morocco dominated back-to-back editions, winning in 2018 and 2020 and becoming the only nation to defend its CHAN title.
In the seventh edition, held in Algeria early 2023, Senegal claimed their first CHAN title by defeating hosts Algeria 5-4 on penalties after a goalless final.
The upcoming eighth edition – postponed from early 2025 to 2–30 August 2025 due to infrastructure delays – marks the first time CHAN will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, and the first-ever tri-nation staging, spotlighting East Africa as a footballing region on the rise.
19 countries for CHAN 2024:
The eighth edition of CHAN will feature 19 teams due to qualification quirks and withdrawals.
Initially, CAF allocated 19 slots: three spots per regional zone plus one extra for the host zone (CECAFA), bringing the total to 19.
Uganda advanced through qualifying despite already qualifying automatically as co-host, pushing the participant count to 19.
Libya had initially qualified automatically from the UNAF zone, but withdrew in November 2024, citing fixture congestion and disruption to their domestic league schedule, reducing North African representation.
Despite Libya’s exit, CAF retained all 19 spots by reallocating vacancies, so the total team count remains 19 going into the tournament.
A dress rehearsal for the AFCON
Hosting CHAN 2024 enables Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to test and fine-tune the infrastructure – renovated or newly built stadiums (Kasarani, Nyayo, Talanta in Kenya; Benjamin Mkapa and Arusha in Tanzania; Namboole, Hoima, Lira in Uganda) – ahead of 2027, when the countries will stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). CAF experts used CHAN to inspect facilities including training grounds, hotels, VAR systems and hospitals, assessing readiness for larger-scale operations.
The postponement from early 2025 to August 2025 gave hosts more time to ensure clarity in logistics, security planning, and fan experience protocols. CAF officials have described CHAN as a “precursor” or dry-run for AFCON to simulate tournament organisation, host fan engagement and operations in a three-nation format.
The event is thus shaping East Africa’s football infrastructure and operational abilities ahead of the continent’s flagship tournament in 2027.
Who are the favourites?
- Morocco remains the standout favourite. As back-to-back champions in 2018 and 2020, their domestic league, the Botola Pro, is among the strongest in Africa. Their technically gifted, tactically disciplined Atlas Lions boast deep experience and a winning culture.
- Defending champions Senegal also offer a powerful case. Winners in 2023, they enter with momentum and a solid tactical setup, capable of handling pressure in Group D alongside Nigeria, Congo, and Sudan.
- Nigeria, making a return after missing prior editions, brings physicality and attacking flair. Their decisive qualification win over Ghana has pundits and former players labelling them genuine title contenders.
DR Congo, two-time champions (2009 and 2016), combine tactical maturity with composure under pressure, while the trio of hosts – Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania – may not lead the odds, but home advantage gives them the potential to surprise.
