Rwanda’s national football team, Amavubi, will not compete in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), set to take place in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya in August 2025.
The tournament’s draw was held on January 15, 2025, in Nairobi, Kenya. Representatives from several participating countries were present for the event. The tournament, originally scheduled for February 2025, was postponed by six months due to delays in infrastructure preparation.
A total of 19 teams will compete, with two spots still to be decided. Countries like Algeria, Comoros, Gambia, Egypt, Malawi, South Africa, and Gabon are vying for those remaining places.
Amavubi’s hopes of qualifying were dashed after their loss to South Sudan in the second round of qualifiers in December 2024.
The draw placed the host countries – Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya – in the first three groups. Senegal, the reigning champions, will compete in Group D.
Here are the groupings for the tournament:
- Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia.
- Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic.
- Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, and two yet-to-be-determined teams.
- Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria.
While Amavubi won’t be part of this year’s tournament, the CHAN competition promises to showcase the best local talent across Africa.
