For over a month, the streets of Nairobi were buzzing; the talk of town, and the song on everyone’s mouth was on one of the biggest football extravaganzas to drop into town. It was the 2024 TotalEnergies Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
After two previous misses to host the continent, Kenya hosted the CHAN, a tournament designed for local based players, in July 2025 and did it in spectacular fashion. And when the final whistle sounded at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani as Morocco beat Madagascar to clinch the title, there was a sense of accomplishment, delight and optimism.
This was a dress rehearsal well passed. Kenya had picked the lessons, jumped a difficult hurdle and was now ready to host the bigger event; the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027.
Together with East African neighbors Tanzania and Uganda, the region will host Pamoja 2027, the first time ever the tournament is co-hosted by three countries, same way they did for the CHAN.
From the lessons of the 2025 tournament, the three countries find a rock solid foundation to prepare for one of the most unforgettable AFCON events ever.
CHAN offered Kenya a glimpse of what lies ahead. More importantly, it provided lessons, confidence and proof that the country can rise to the occasion. From security to match management, hospitality, transport and fan activities, the 2024 CHAN was a ‘university’ in its own sense.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed believes CHAN gave Kenya a strong foundation upon which to build.
Following the successful staging of the tournament, Hussein noted that East Africa had demonstrated its capability to host continental football and now had the responsibility of raising standards even higher for AFCON.
He described CHAN as a benchmark-setting tournament and challenged stakeholders to deliver an even bigger spectacle in 2027.
“CHAN taught us what works and what needs improvement. It exposed us to the demands of hosting a continental event and showed us that Kenya can deliver when all stakeholders pull in the same direction,” Mohammed said.
The FKF boss has emphasized that AFCON is on a different scale altogether, warning that the region must appreciate the magnitude of the task ahead while embracing the opportunity it presents.
The same sentiments are shared by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman, seasoned football administrator Nicholas Musonye who views CHAN as a blessing in disguise.
According to Musonye, CAF’s decision to award CHAN to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania before AFCON was a deliberate effort to test the region’s preparedness for the larger tournament.
“CHAN gave us a real-life examination. You can prepare on paper for years, but there is nothing that compares to handling thousands of fans, media, teams and officials in a live tournament environment,” Musonye said.
Musonye points to crowd management, ticketing systems and security operations among the biggest lessons learned during the competition.
“The beauty of CHAN is that it exposed our weaknesses before AFCON. Now we know where to improve,” he further states.
Veteran sports journalist Elias Makori, who also headed the Media Operations department within the LOC believes CHAN changed perceptions about Kenya’s ability to host major tournaments.
“For years, many Kenyans doubted whether we could stage an event of this magnitude. CHAN showed that with proper planning and government support, we can. The challenge now is consistency and ensuring every lesson is acted upon.”
He adds; “The successful delivery of media operations during CHAN 2025 provides a strong foundation for AFCON 2027. The tournament demonstrated that the region has the capability to host major continental sporting events while also showcasing the critical role of media in amplifying their impact.”
For the media fraternity, CHAN also provided an opportunity to test communication structures, mixed zones, press conferences and digital content production at an international level.
For 24-year-old sports journalist Ruckiel Odikor, who also worked with the CAF digital team, CHAN was more than a tournament.
“It was the first continental competition I covered physically. I learned how international media operations work, how journalists from different countries interact and how football can bring people together,” she said.
Her sentiments are shared by another young journalist Stanley Mandila, who covered his first ever international competition.
“People often focus on players, but tournaments also create opportunities for journalists, photographers, broadcasters, volunteers and event managers. CHAN opened our eyes to those possibilities. There were plenty of lessons learnt, especially on media operations,” the budding sports journalist added.
Beyond the organizers and media, perhaps the biggest success story of CHAN was the fans.
The packed stands at Nyayo Stadium and the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani as well as the created fan zones all through the capital and some major towns reminded many of Kenya’s deep love for football. Renovated facilities and sold-out crowds demonstrated the appetite for elite football events in the country.
Lifelong supporter Peter Otieno from Nairobi believes CHAN reignited national pride.
“The atmosphere reminded me of the old days when the whole country rallied behind the national team. Seeing fans from different countries enjoying football together made me believe AFCON will be something special,” says the fan, who also supports 22-time Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia FC.
The work is far from complete. AFCON will be significantly larger than CHAN, bringing more teams, bigger crowds, greater media interest and higher operational demands.
Yet, for the first time in many years, Kenya approaches a continental hosting assignment not with uncertainty, but with experience. CHAN tested the infrastructure. It tested the people. It t
TotalEnergies CHAN 2024 success offers Kenya broader confidence for AFCON 2027
For over a month, the streets of Nairobi were buzzing; the talk of town, and the song on everyone’s mouth was on one of the biggest football extravaganzas to drop into town. It was the 2024 TotalEnergies Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
After two previous misses to host the continent, Kenya hosted the CHAN, a tournament designed for local based players, in July 2025 and did it in spectacular fashion. And when the final whistle sounded at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani as Morocco beat Madagascar to clinch the title, there was a sense of accomplishment, delight and optimism.
This was a dress rehearsal well passed. Kenya had picked the lessons, jumped a difficult hurdle and was now ready to host the bigger event; the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027.
Together with East African neighbors Tanzania and Uganda, the region will host Pamoja 2027, the first time ever the tournament is co-hosted by three countries, same way they did for the CHAN.
From the lessons of the 2025 tournament, the three countries find a rock solid foundation to prepare for one of the most unforgettable AFCON events ever.
CHAN offered Kenya a glimpse of what lies ahead. More importantly, it provided lessons, confidence and proof that the country can rise to the occasion. From security to match management, hospitality, transport and fan activities, the 2024 CHAN was a ‘university’ in its own sense.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed believes CHAN gave Kenya a strong foundation upon which to build.
Following the successful staging of the tournament, Hussein noted that East Africa had demonstrated its capability to host continental football and now had the responsibility of raising standards even higher for AFCON.
He described CHAN as a benchmark-setting tournament and challenged stakeholders to deliver an even bigger spectacle in 2027.
“CHAN taught us what works and what needs improvement. It exposed us to the demands of hosting a continental event and showed us that Kenya can deliver when all stakeholders pull in the same direction,” Mohammed said.
The FKF boss has emphasized that AFCON is on a different scale altogether, warning that the region must appreciate the magnitude of the task ahead while embracing the opportunity it presents.
Yet, for the first time in many years, Kenya approaches a continental hosting assignment not with uncertainty, but with experience. CHAN tested the infrastructure. It tested the people. It tested the systems.
As the countdown to AFCON 2027 continues, the lessons from CHAN offer a simple message; hosting Africa’s biggest football festival is no longer an ambitious dream. It is an achievable reality.
“I believe with the experience we picked, AFCON 2027 will be memorable not just in Kenya, but Uganda and Tanzania as well. East Africa will leave a mark,” FKF boss Mohammed concludes.
CAF
