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Kenya's hosting rights for CHAN 2025 is looking bleak with preparations behind schedule.
Cabinet Secretary for Sports Kipchumba Murkomen remains adamant that Kenya will co-host the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) alongside Uganda and Tanzania despite facing mounting challenges as the country struggles to deliver the required infrastructure on time.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) set a December 31 deadline for the country to ensure its stadiums meet international standards, but progress on the ground has cast a significant doubt on the feasibility of this goal.
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17:50 - 08.12.2024
CHAN 2024: Why Kenya will likely lose hosting rights to Rwanda
Kenya is staring at a second embarrassment as their hosting rights for the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN) tournament will likely go to Rwanda due to delayed preparations.
The country had committed to using Nairobi’s Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums for the tournament. However, both venues are far from completion, raising concerns about Kenya’s readiness to host matches when the tournament kicks off on February 1, 2025.
A recent inspection by CAF officials left them disappointed with Kenya’s progress. While Uganda and Tanzania already have stadiums that meet CAF’s requirements, Kenya’s infrastructure remains inadequate.
CAF’s ultimatum has placed immense pressure on the Kenyan government and contractors to accelerate the renovations within the next few weeks.
Despite the setbacks, Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen remains confident that Kenya will fulfill its hosting obligations. Speaking recently on NTV, he emphasized the government's commitment to meeting the deadline.
“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 burning the midnight oil to ensure our facilities are ready. Contractors have assured us they will do everything humanly possible to beat the deadline," he said.
Murkomen acknowledged the challenges posed by the ambitious bid, admitting that committing to two stadiums might have been a miscalculation.
“In hindsight, offering two stadiums was a mistake. Even Uganda and Tanzania, with CAF-qualified stadia, only offered one each. For us, Kasarani’s contract was awarded in May this year, involving a massive overhaul. The pressure since then has been immense.”
The fate of Kenya’s hosting rights hinges on whether the renovations can be completed by the December 31 deadline.
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15:40 - 03.12.2024
58 days to CHAN: Can Kenya beat the clock or face another national embarrassment?
Kenya faces a tight 28-day deadline to finalize CHAN 2024 preparations amid mounting challenges and CAF inspectors' concerns.
CAF’s decision will also depend on the next inspection’s findings. Losing the hosting rights would be a significant setback for Kenya, which aims to position itself as a regional sports hub.
As the clock ticks down, Kenya’s ability to deliver on its promises will be closely watched by CAF as the next few weeks will be critical in determining whether the country will rise to the occasion or miss out on this historic opportunity.
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