There has been significant speculation surrounding the loss of hosting rights for the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) by Kenya, with many reports suggesting that the country was unprepared for the tournament. However, recent statements from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have cleared the air.
On Monday, December 9, it was widely reported that Kenya had lost the rights to host the prestigious tournament to Rwanda due to inadequate preparations. But the following day, CAF’s host country manager, Kabelo Bosilong, dismissed these rumors. “We’ve been hearing a lot of social media chatter about where this tournament will be held, and I want to assure everyone that CAF is committed to ensuring that this tournament takes place in the countries it was intended to,” Bosilong said in a statement.
CAF had initially raised concerns over the readiness of Kenya’s infrastructure, particularly the stadiums required for the event. There had been uncertainty regarding which stadiums in Kenya would host the games, but the government eventually decided on the 60,000-seat Kasarani Stadium, with Nyayo Stadium as a potential backup.
Despite the delay, Bosilong reaffirmed that CAF’s commitment to hosting the tournament in Kenya was unwavering, provided the infrastructure meets the necessary standards by the deadline set for December 31. This decision came after several months of delays in securing stadium readiness.
Kenyan Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, however, remained confident that the country would be ready to host the CHAN tournament. “We are definitely hosting CHAN from February 1 to February 28, 2025. The schedule and team allocations are yet to be finalized, but we are working tirelessly to ensure that our facilities are ready,” Murkomen stated on Monday, December 9. He added that contractors had assured the government that they would meet the deadline, despite the challenges.
This is not the first time Kenya has faced challenges in hosting the CHAN tournament. In 2018, the country lost its hosting rights for the same competition after a failed last-minute attempt to renovate Nyayo and Kasarani Stadiums, as well as to build Kinoru Stadium.
As the deadline approaches, the Rwandan Football Federation (FERWAFA) and the Ministry of Sports have yet to comment on the situation, leaving many wondering if the tournament could be moved to Rwanda. However, for now, Kenya remains the designated host, and authorities are determined to ensure that the event will proceed as planned.
With the clock ticking, it remains to be seen whether Kenya can meet the necessary infrastructure standards to successfully host CHAN 2025.
